WEBVTT 00:00:00.620 --> 00:00:03.240 You're listening to a podcast from Jubilee Church, 00:00:03.439 --> 00:00:07.780 Farnham. To find out more, visit www .jubilee 00:00:07.780 --> 00:00:15.179 .church Well, it's Vision Sunday. And at the 00:00:15.179 --> 00:00:18.320 beginning of each September time, we try and 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:23.100 give some time over just to cast vision, if you 00:00:23.100 --> 00:00:26.120 like, set the scene for the next academic year 00:00:26.120 --> 00:00:32.070 to... set our course of direction. And I have 00:00:32.070 --> 00:00:35.310 to say this, starting this autumn, I feel more 00:00:35.310 --> 00:00:38.729 excited, more faith -filled, more expectant than 00:00:38.729 --> 00:00:41.469 ever. I know I think I probably say that a lot 00:00:41.469 --> 00:00:47.509 of years, but this year I mean it. No, no. It 00:00:47.509 --> 00:00:49.969 can get better every year. It can. Thank you, 00:00:49.990 --> 00:00:53.869 Ben. Thank you. Absolutely. I just see faith 00:00:53.869 --> 00:00:58.310 rising. As I talk to people, I see faith rising. 00:00:58.649 --> 00:01:03.189 I, like Nathan, was stirred by the report, you 00:01:03.189 --> 00:01:05.870 know, the quiet revival. And it's easy to see 00:01:05.870 --> 00:01:09.250 it in a report, in sort of research, but I see 00:01:09.250 --> 00:01:11.469 it amongst us as well. I mean, just have a little 00:01:11.469 --> 00:01:18.090 look around. Look around at people. Look, it's 00:01:18.090 --> 00:01:22.810 quite a cool bunch. Everyone's a little bit... 00:01:23.340 --> 00:01:26.400 Dodgy, aren't they? Who do I look at? But you 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:28.879 know, in this room, there are people whose faith 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:32.739 is rising. In this year of faith, as we set it 00:01:32.739 --> 00:01:36.780 out to be, I have seen faith rising. Faith for 00:01:36.780 --> 00:01:38.859 things, faith for all sorts of different ways. 00:01:38.959 --> 00:01:42.739 I see it amongst us. And it's not surprising, 00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:46.359 is it? Because we are a church. In fact, should 00:01:46.359 --> 00:01:49.500 we say, we are a church? Let's say, we are a 00:01:49.500 --> 00:01:55.280 church. Who are we? The church. And I tell you 00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:59.159 what, that is a significant thing. So this morning, 00:01:59.180 --> 00:02:01.560 I want to just sort of start the beginning of 00:02:01.560 --> 00:02:07.140 two Sundays. And I really want to start by asking 00:02:07.140 --> 00:02:11.180 the question, sort of why, really? I don't know 00:02:11.180 --> 00:02:16.120 if you've ever stopped to ask yourself why. Why 00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:21.439 are you here? I don't know. Probably all sorts 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:24.259 of reasons, aren't there? Why do I do what I 00:02:24.259 --> 00:02:28.599 want to do? For most of us, we know the what 00:02:28.599 --> 00:02:31.379 we're doing. I mean, some of us struggle with 00:02:31.379 --> 00:02:33.620 that level, but most of us know the what we're 00:02:33.620 --> 00:02:35.740 doing. We just look at our diaries or look at 00:02:35.740 --> 00:02:39.460 our planners. Many of us think about how we're 00:02:39.460 --> 00:02:43.280 doing it as well. The culture in our homes or 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:46.740 the culture in the church, the sort of how we're 00:02:46.740 --> 00:02:50.400 doing it, but far fewer... ask the deeper question, 00:02:50.659 --> 00:02:57.479 why? Why are we doing it? Over the summer, I 00:02:57.479 --> 00:02:59.879 read a book on leadership. It's called Start 00:02:59.879 --> 00:03:02.479 With Why. And some might have read it. It was 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:05.560 a Simon Sinek book. He's a leadership guru, business 00:03:05.560 --> 00:03:08.780 sort of guy. It wasn't a Christian book. He just 00:03:08.780 --> 00:03:11.379 advises organizations, charities, businesses, 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:14.659 and sort of suggests that sometimes they just 00:03:14.659 --> 00:03:20.020 focus on the what. All their focus is on the 00:03:20.020 --> 00:03:24.500 what and what they do. And some, he suggests, 00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:27.740 goes further to think about how they do it. And 00:03:27.740 --> 00:03:30.960 they'll create culture statements or values. 00:03:31.219 --> 00:03:32.580 I mean, they're up on the wall there for the 00:03:32.580 --> 00:03:35.460 school. That's how they want to do education 00:03:35.460 --> 00:03:40.699 in this school. But often, he suggests, people 00:03:40.699 --> 00:03:47.210 don't start with why. Over the summer, as I read 00:03:47.210 --> 00:03:50.629 the book, I just felt the whisper of God, really, 00:03:50.669 --> 00:03:54.289 if I'm honest, saying, in September, start with 00:03:54.289 --> 00:03:59.169 why. I was going to go straight into, this morning, 00:03:59.229 --> 00:04:01.789 all the exciting plans for the autumn, because 00:04:01.789 --> 00:04:07.789 they are exciting. Boy, they are exciting. But 00:04:07.789 --> 00:04:11.169 I just felt that gentle encouragement to remember 00:04:11.169 --> 00:04:15.259 our why as we start off. So today I want to start 00:04:15.259 --> 00:04:18.579 with why. It's going to feel slightly different 00:04:18.579 --> 00:04:22.459 from next Sunday when I want to focus on the 00:04:22.459 --> 00:04:25.279 how and what we're going to do as we go through 00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:29.600 this autumn. But this week I want to start with 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:33.500 why. Is that all right? Oh, there's a sort of 00:04:33.500 --> 00:04:40.420 expectation. And I can hear music. But that isn't 00:04:40.420 --> 00:04:42.660 my music. That must be somewhere else. Anyway, 00:04:42.759 --> 00:04:46.639 so why? Got me thinking as well about Jesus is 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:50.699 why. The more I thought about it, the more I 00:04:50.699 --> 00:04:53.779 sort of thought, Jesus actually was quite clear. 00:04:53.839 --> 00:04:55.660 He says in quite a few different places, different 00:04:55.660 --> 00:04:58.459 things that you could look in that way. But the 00:04:58.459 --> 00:05:00.899 one that I just landed on for this morning is 00:05:00.899 --> 00:05:04.240 in John 10 .10, where he said, I came that they 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:09.449 may have life and life abundantly. Some translations 00:05:09.449 --> 00:05:12.629 say life to the full or to full measure or to 00:05:12.629 --> 00:05:16.930 rich and satisfying. The message paraphrase says, 00:05:17.029 --> 00:05:19.930 I came that they may have real and eternal life, 00:05:20.069 --> 00:05:24.769 more and better life than you ever dreamed of. 00:05:26.050 --> 00:05:30.829 Jesus came to bring life, bring abundant life. 00:05:31.629 --> 00:05:35.230 See, Jesus saw the big picture. He'd been there 00:05:35.230 --> 00:05:39.110 at the beginning of creation. God created the 00:05:39.110 --> 00:05:42.850 world, and then after every iteration, declared 00:05:42.850 --> 00:05:47.250 it was good. Then on the sixth day, he creates 00:05:47.250 --> 00:05:51.029 people, men, women, and he says it's really good, 00:05:51.110 --> 00:05:54.370 or very good. That's why when we look around, 00:05:54.410 --> 00:05:57.769 we say, this is very good. It's full of people 00:05:57.769 --> 00:06:02.589 who love God. Then in the second creation narrative 00:06:02.589 --> 00:06:04.790 in Genesis 3, he paints a picture of men and 00:06:04.790 --> 00:06:08.329 women who are made in the image of God. It's 00:06:08.329 --> 00:06:14.069 a powerful picture. Enjoying paradise. There 00:06:14.069 --> 00:06:17.170 was purpose, provision, purity. It was a place 00:06:17.170 --> 00:06:21.110 where we see the love of God and connection between 00:06:21.110 --> 00:06:26.930 men and women and God in its perfection. But 00:06:26.930 --> 00:06:30.550 into this shalom, this picture of peace and contentment, 00:06:30.730 --> 00:06:40.050 Satan whispers, did God really say? And causes 00:06:40.050 --> 00:06:46.470 them to doubt what God says. And you read the 00:06:46.470 --> 00:06:49.709 story, peace and contentment becomes anxiety 00:06:49.709 --> 00:06:55.649 and fear. Strife and hardship breaks in to the 00:06:55.649 --> 00:06:59.949 world. And worst of all there is disconnection 00:06:59.949 --> 00:07:05.170 between God and man and between man and woman. 00:07:08.699 --> 00:07:13.319 Love turns in on itself. Selfishness comes to 00:07:13.319 --> 00:07:19.740 reign. Me. It's all about me. See, Satan was 00:07:19.740 --> 00:07:24.339 out to destroy all that was good. And so suspicion 00:07:24.339 --> 00:07:28.279 that God doesn't have our best interests at heart. 00:07:29.079 --> 00:07:34.519 He sows a suspicion that God's not good. He's 00:07:34.519 --> 00:07:39.170 not for us. He can't really love us. It's all 00:07:39.170 --> 00:07:42.430 there in this sublime few chapters at the beginning 00:07:42.430 --> 00:07:48.389 of the Bible. That's why Jesus says, there's 00:07:48.389 --> 00:07:51.949 a thief comes to steal and kill and destroy. 00:07:52.990 --> 00:07:56.529 Before he says, I have come that you may have 00:07:56.529 --> 00:08:03.009 life and have it to the full. In a sense, that 00:08:03.009 --> 00:08:08.529 breaking in of Jesus' kingdom was his why. And 00:08:08.529 --> 00:08:11.730 it changes everything. And as we enter this autumn, 00:08:12.029 --> 00:08:16.889 I think Jesus is saying to us, I'm coming that 00:08:16.889 --> 00:08:22.589 you may have life and life to the full. Not just 00:08:22.589 --> 00:08:26.769 as a church, not just as Jubilee, but for you 00:08:26.769 --> 00:08:33.429 individually, you in your families. Because there's 00:08:33.429 --> 00:08:35.909 a thief who comes to destroy and steal, but there 00:08:35.909 --> 00:08:40.149 is one who comes. to bring life, life abundantly. 00:08:40.669 --> 00:08:43.950 And in all that I do, that you do, in all of 00:08:43.950 --> 00:08:48.590 our programs, our ministries, our events, I believe 00:08:48.590 --> 00:08:52.129 there's going to be life coming. And that's part 00:08:52.129 --> 00:08:54.710 of his message as we start this new term. Why? 00:08:54.850 --> 00:09:00.970 Because Jesus wants in. Jesus wants in to this 00:09:00.970 --> 00:09:04.159 church. into our families, into our homes, into 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:07.679 our lives, into our careers, into whatever we're 00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:12.039 putting our hand to. Jesus wants to be in our 00:09:12.039 --> 00:09:18.740 lives. Amen? I mean, that is a good amen. Could 00:09:18.740 --> 00:09:23.179 have been louder. It totally transforms things 00:09:23.179 --> 00:09:26.779 if we really have faith that Jesus wants to be 00:09:26.779 --> 00:09:29.759 in on what we're doing, on how we're living. 00:09:30.250 --> 00:09:34.009 What we're doing in our lives. Jesus wants to 00:09:34.009 --> 00:09:38.289 be involved in what is going on in Jubilee. But 00:09:38.289 --> 00:09:40.389 he's also wanting to be involved in what's going 00:09:40.389 --> 00:09:44.169 on in your world. And he knows that there's a 00:09:44.169 --> 00:09:49.210 thief who's out to destroy. But he comes and 00:09:49.210 --> 00:09:53.190 we believe all authority has been given to him. 00:09:53.509 --> 00:09:57.100 And he comes to bring life. The thief comes to 00:09:57.100 --> 00:09:59.860 steal and destroy and kill. I've come that they 00:09:59.860 --> 00:10:03.340 may have life and life it in the full. For too 00:10:03.340 --> 00:10:06.940 long, the thief has robbed people in Farnham 00:10:06.940 --> 00:10:11.860 of the presence of Jesus in their lives. Amen? 00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:16.799 The thief has robbed many of us too in different 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:20.519 ways from knowing the blessing we have in Jesus. 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:24.330 As we start, I don't want to... Get into all 00:10:24.330 --> 00:10:26.190 the programs and all the wonderful things we're 00:10:26.190 --> 00:10:31.129 doing before we really grasp the blessing we 00:10:31.129 --> 00:10:34.350 have in Jesus as a church, as a community, and 00:10:34.350 --> 00:10:37.570 as individuals. We really need to get that into 00:10:37.570 --> 00:10:42.210 our hearts and into our souls. And what a blessing 00:10:42.210 --> 00:10:45.799 we have. I couldn't resist but go to Ephesians. 00:10:45.799 --> 00:10:48.240 I mentioned it a couple of weeks ago. The beginning 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:50.919 of Ephesians. It's a wonderful book which talks 00:10:50.919 --> 00:10:53.620 about the blessing that we have in Christ. In 00:10:53.620 --> 00:10:55.899 fact, I was so blessed by it, I'm going to read 00:10:55.899 --> 00:10:58.480 the whole first chapter to you from the Message 00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:03.879 Paraphys translation. Just let this get absorbed 00:11:03.879 --> 00:11:08.019 into your souls. In the original language, it's 00:11:08.019 --> 00:11:10.159 like there's no punctuation. The apostle is just 00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:16.009 so enthusiastic. So excited, so motivated, so 00:11:16.009 --> 00:11:18.769 stirred by faith about what he's saying. It just 00:11:18.769 --> 00:11:22.850 all blurts out of his mouth. And there's a bit 00:11:22.850 --> 00:11:25.330 of that in the paraphrase that the message puts 00:11:25.330 --> 00:11:26.730 out. I want to sort of capture that as well. 00:11:26.830 --> 00:11:29.789 So let me read this. This is our blessing as 00:11:29.789 --> 00:11:34.230 we start the term. Okay, are you listening? Ears 00:11:34.230 --> 00:11:39.399 open. More importantly, hearts open. Paul, I'm 00:11:39.399 --> 00:11:42.620 under God's plan as apostle, a special agent 00:11:42.620 --> 00:11:46.299 of Jesus Christ, writing to you, faithful believers 00:11:46.299 --> 00:11:49.779 in Farnham. Sorry, Ephesus, but Farnham as well. 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:53.539 I greet you in the name of grace and peace poured 00:11:53.539 --> 00:11:58.159 out into our lives by God our Father and Master, 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:02.700 Jesus Christ. I mean, what a start. How blessed 00:12:02.700 --> 00:12:06.490 is God? And what a blessing he is. He's the father 00:12:06.490 --> 00:12:09.730 of our master, Jesus Christ. He takes us to the 00:12:09.730 --> 00:12:14.190 high places of blessing in him. Long before he 00:12:14.190 --> 00:12:17.309 laid down earth's foundation, he had us in mind, 00:12:17.389 --> 00:12:22.590 had settled on us as the focus of his love, to 00:12:22.590 --> 00:12:26.889 be made whole and holy by his love. It's brilliant, 00:12:26.990 --> 00:12:30.059 isn't it? Long, long ago, he decided to adopt 00:12:30.059 --> 00:12:33.080 us into his family through Jesus Christ. What 00:12:33.080 --> 00:12:35.879 pleasure he took in planning this. He wanted 00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:39.379 us to enter into the celebration of his lavish 00:12:39.379 --> 00:12:42.419 gift -giving by the hand of his beloved Son. 00:12:43.240 --> 00:12:45.360 Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his 00:12:45.360 --> 00:12:48.679 blood poured out on the altar of the cross. We 00:12:48.679 --> 00:12:52.360 are free people. Free of penalties and punishments 00:12:52.360 --> 00:12:56.379 chalked up by all of our misdeeds. And not barely 00:12:56.379 --> 00:13:01.019 free. either, abundantly free. He thought of 00:13:01.019 --> 00:13:03.840 everything, provided for everything he could 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:07.259 possibly need, letting us in on the plans he 00:13:07.259 --> 00:13:10.600 took such delight in making. He set it all out 00:13:10.600 --> 00:13:13.539 before us in Christ, a long -range plan in which 00:13:13.539 --> 00:13:16.480 everything would be brought together and summed 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:19.720 up in him. Everything in deepest heaven, everything 00:13:19.720 --> 00:13:24.320 on planet earth. It's in Christ that we find 00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:29.879 out who we are. And what we're living for. Long 00:13:29.879 --> 00:13:33.440 before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:38.080 up, he had his eye on us. Had designs for us. 00:13:38.200 --> 00:13:42.919 For glorious living. Part of the overall purpose 00:13:42.919 --> 00:13:47.019 he's working out in everything and everyone. 00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:51.440 You enjoying this? It's great. It is in Christ 00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:53.940 that you, once you heard the truth and believed 00:13:53.940 --> 00:13:57.779 it, this message of your salvation, found yourselves 00:13:57.779 --> 00:14:02.419 home free, signed, sealed and delivered by the 00:14:02.419 --> 00:14:05.759 Holy Spirit. This down payment from God is the 00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:07.980 first installment of what is coming. A reminder 00:14:07.980 --> 00:14:10.820 that we will get everything God has planned for 00:14:10.820 --> 00:14:14.580 us. A praising and glorious life. That's why... 00:14:15.100 --> 00:14:17.620 When I heard of the solid trust you have in the 00:14:17.620 --> 00:14:21.059 Master, Jesus, and your outpouring of love to 00:14:21.059 --> 00:14:24.480 all the followers of Jesus, I couldn't stop thanking 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:27.679 God for you. Every time I prayed, I'd think of 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:31.320 you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:36.259 I ask God, our Master, Jesus Christ, the God 00:14:36.259 --> 00:14:40.000 of glory, to make you intelligent and discerning 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:43.460 in knowing Him personally. Your eyes fixed and 00:14:43.460 --> 00:14:46.679 clear so that you can see exactly what he's calling 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:50.320 you to do. Grasp the immensity of this glorious 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:53.139 way of life he has for his followers. Oh, the 00:14:53.139 --> 00:14:56.159 utter extravagance of his work in us who trust 00:14:56.159 --> 00:15:00.379 him. Endless energy, boundless strength. You're 00:15:00.379 --> 00:15:04.299 getting his enthusiasm. And all this energy, 00:15:04.580 --> 00:15:10.000 he says, issues from Christ. God raised him from 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:13.409 the dead. And set him on a throne in deep heaven. 00:15:13.830 --> 00:15:17.570 In charge of running the universe. Everything 00:15:17.570 --> 00:15:22.590 from galaxies to governments. No name, no power 00:15:22.590 --> 00:15:26.429 exempt from his rule. And just for the time being, 00:15:26.669 --> 00:15:30.730 not just for the time being, but forever. He 00:15:30.730 --> 00:15:37.200 is in charge of it all. It is not... Sorry, he's 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:40.340 in charge of it all. Has the final word on everything. 00:15:41.059 --> 00:15:47.559 At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. 00:15:49.940 --> 00:15:54.639 The church, you see, is not peripheral to the 00:15:54.639 --> 00:16:00.419 world. The world is peripheral to the church. 00:16:05.159 --> 00:16:12.940 The church is Christ's body in which he speaks 00:16:12.940 --> 00:16:19.779 and acts, by which he fills everything with his 00:16:19.779 --> 00:16:29.299 presence. Wow. And when we look around at this 00:16:29.299 --> 00:16:34.700 motley crew... We might see something different 00:16:34.700 --> 00:16:40.279 sometimes. But the reality is this truth. There 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:43.279 might be one out to whisper that that isn't the 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:49.659 case. But this is the truth. He's in charge of 00:16:49.659 --> 00:16:51.639 it all, has the final word on everything. At 00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:54.240 the centre of it, Christ rules his church. The 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:56.059 church, you see, is not peripheral to the world. 00:16:56.100 --> 00:16:58.299 The world is peripheral to the church. We used 00:16:58.299 --> 00:17:00.379 to say this in every sermon for the first decade 00:17:00.379 --> 00:17:04.230 that the church existed. Pretty much. The church 00:17:04.230 --> 00:17:06.589 is Christ's body in which he speaks and acts, 00:17:06.670 --> 00:17:09.130 by which he fills everything with his presence. 00:17:11.549 --> 00:17:15.269 See, today we stand, if you like, as we reflect 00:17:15.269 --> 00:17:20.170 on these things, on holy ground. Because the 00:17:20.170 --> 00:17:29.369 living God has chosen us. He's called us. He's 00:17:29.369 --> 00:17:35.109 named us. And placed us right here, right now, 00:17:35.230 --> 00:17:41.329 as his church, his people, his witnesses of the 00:17:41.329 --> 00:17:44.630 kingdom of light breaking into the kingdom of 00:17:44.630 --> 00:17:54.230 darkness. Amen? Let it motivate us. Ephesians 00:17:54.230 --> 00:17:57.210 1, it paints a breathtaking picture. Paul opens 00:17:57.210 --> 00:17:59.950 the curtain and lets us see what God has been 00:17:59.950 --> 00:18:04.160 planning all along. Before the foundations of 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:09.779 the earth were laid, God dreamed of us. God dreamed 00:18:09.779 --> 00:18:14.299 of you. Now, some of you think that was a nightmare. 00:18:15.099 --> 00:18:17.420 But I'm telling you, that's the enemy, says that. 00:18:17.779 --> 00:18:21.119 When he dreamed of you, he thought he was having 00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:24.559 fun. And he was loving it because you were his 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:27.539 beloved. From the beginning of the earth, he 00:18:27.539 --> 00:18:31.069 chose you, each one of you. To be part of a plan 00:18:31.069 --> 00:18:34.930 that he is doing in our time, in our nation. 00:18:35.109 --> 00:18:37.869 He dreamed of us. He dreamed of a church alive 00:18:37.869 --> 00:18:43.549 with his spirit. Carrying his light into a dark 00:18:43.549 --> 00:18:48.950 and fractured world. That's quite a cool why, 00:18:49.130 --> 00:18:56.740 isn't it? As we get to our programs, we'll be 00:18:56.740 --> 00:18:58.819 thinking about all sorts of things. But behind 00:18:58.819 --> 00:19:04.319 it is a kingdom advancing in Farnham. A kingdom 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:09.079 of light and love. A kingdom of healing. And 00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:11.099 as I just looked at this passage, I found four 00:19:11.099 --> 00:19:18.759 B's for you. There they are. Blessed. This will 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:21.039 help you remember. Blessed. Paul begins, how 00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:23.660 blessed is God and what a blessing he is. He 00:19:23.660 --> 00:19:26.180 is the father of our master, Jesus Christ, and 00:19:26.180 --> 00:19:28.740 takes us to the high places of blessing in him. 00:19:29.259 --> 00:19:32.519 See, the church exists first and foremost to 00:19:32.519 --> 00:19:34.460 bless God and glorify him. That's why one of 00:19:34.460 --> 00:19:37.539 our Jesus glorifies, isn't it? What we're doing 00:19:37.539 --> 00:19:42.640 this morning is glorifying God. That's what we're 00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:45.000 doing. We're not just meeting in a school hall 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:48.200 with a dodgy gate. We're actually the people 00:19:48.200 --> 00:19:52.099 of God, ready to receive the very presence of 00:19:52.099 --> 00:20:02.140 God and be a glorious place of blessing. We're 00:20:02.140 --> 00:20:05.180 here to bless God. But notice, in blessing him, 00:20:05.220 --> 00:20:10.200 he pours blessing into us. He lifts us up. He 00:20:10.200 --> 00:20:13.500 raises us to the highest places with Christ. 00:20:15.980 --> 00:20:18.160 Have we got faith for that? I mean, that is what 00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:21.420 he's doing. If we bless him, he lifts us up. 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:27.359 The world says you're what you achieve. You're 00:20:27.359 --> 00:20:31.640 what you own. You're the labels others slap on 00:20:31.640 --> 00:20:36.240 you. But heaven says you're chosen. You're holy. 00:20:36.380 --> 00:20:40.059 You're beloved. That's the truth this morning. 00:20:41.160 --> 00:20:43.660 And the church exists to be a place where people 00:20:43.660 --> 00:20:48.220 hear the truest things about themselves. That 00:20:48.220 --> 00:20:51.779 they're not children of darkness, but children 00:20:51.779 --> 00:20:58.019 of light. They are blessed. Because they're also 00:20:58.019 --> 00:21:01.559 brought. The message says, because of the sacrifice 00:21:01.559 --> 00:21:04.299 of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar 00:21:04.299 --> 00:21:07.470 of the cross, we're free people. Free of penalties 00:21:07.470 --> 00:21:10.390 and punishments chalked up by all of our misdeeds. 00:21:10.430 --> 00:21:14.869 Not just barely free either. Abundantly free. 00:21:16.549 --> 00:21:22.069 See, the life Jesus offers us is free to us. 00:21:22.849 --> 00:21:30.529 But it was costly for him. The darkness says 00:21:30.529 --> 00:21:34.890 you're condemned. You're chained. You've gone 00:21:34.890 --> 00:21:42.279 too far. It's too late. There's no hope. But 00:21:42.279 --> 00:21:47.099 the cross shouts louder that you're forgiven. 00:21:47.819 --> 00:21:52.079 You're free. You can be made new. You can be 00:21:52.079 --> 00:21:55.220 healed. You can reconcile. That's what the cross 00:21:55.220 --> 00:22:02.019 shouts. See, Jesus came to bring deliverance. 00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:09.579 that we might live. The devil still whispers, 00:22:09.619 --> 00:22:12.980 still ensnares, still steals, still deceives 00:22:12.980 --> 00:22:17.019 and distorts, tries to destroy. But Jesus came 00:22:17.019 --> 00:22:22.279 to deliver us from evil. Isn't it our prayer? 00:22:22.380 --> 00:22:27.400 Our Father who art in heaven, deliver us from 00:22:27.400 --> 00:22:33.839 evil. Thy kingdom come. See, Jesus proclaims 00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:36.960 freedom to the captives, forgiveness to the guilty, 00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:40.259 healing to the broken. It's what he did when 00:22:40.259 --> 00:22:42.619 he stood up at the beginning of his ministry, 00:22:42.700 --> 00:22:47.200 when we read it in Luke chapter 4. He stands 00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:50.460 there in the synagogue, gets the scroll, opens 00:22:50.460 --> 00:22:53.660 it up and reads, the spirit of the Lord is on 00:22:53.660 --> 00:22:55.920 me because he's anointed me to proclaim good 00:22:55.920 --> 00:22:59.039 news to the poor. He sent me to proclaim freedom. 00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:02.380 For the prisoners. Recovery of sight for the 00:23:02.380 --> 00:23:06.359 blind. To set the oppressed free. And to proclaim 00:23:06.359 --> 00:23:10.039 the year of the Lord's favour. Then he rolled 00:23:10.039 --> 00:23:13.099 up the scroll. Gave it back to the attendant. 00:23:13.220 --> 00:23:16.220 It says that he sat down. And the eyes of everyone 00:23:16.220 --> 00:23:22.180 in the synagogue. Were fastened on him. And he 00:23:22.180 --> 00:23:26.160 began by saying to them. Today. This scripture 00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:38.480 is fulfilled in your hearing. Jesus came for 00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:44.200 us to set us free, to forgive us, to heal us. 00:23:47.259 --> 00:23:52.859 Let's not live just barely free. Let's live abundantly 00:23:52.859 --> 00:24:00.640 free as we start this term. He also... As a result 00:24:00.640 --> 00:24:02.859 of that, gave us a place where we can belong. 00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:05.359 The third bead. Paul says, long before he laid 00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:08.839 down earth's foundations, he had us in mind. 00:24:10.819 --> 00:24:19.619 Long before he laid down earth's foundations, 00:24:19.960 --> 00:24:29.990 he had us in mind. Had settled on us. As the 00:24:29.990 --> 00:24:36.630 focus of his love to be made whole and holy by 00:24:36.630 --> 00:24:43.029 his love. Wow. See, the kingdom of darkness tells 00:24:43.029 --> 00:24:46.509 people they're orphans, alone, unwanted, forgotten. 00:24:47.390 --> 00:24:51.430 I meet people the whole time who are living with 00:24:51.430 --> 00:24:53.150 that in the core of their soul. But the kingdom 00:24:53.150 --> 00:24:55.829 of light declares something different. It declares 00:24:55.829 --> 00:25:00.410 adoption. It declares belonging. In Christ, God 00:25:00.410 --> 00:25:03.670 says, you're mine and I will never leave you. 00:25:04.549 --> 00:25:09.230 You are written into my family story. What a 00:25:09.230 --> 00:25:13.049 message for us to bring at this time into this 00:25:13.049 --> 00:25:18.529 world. Jubilee, we exist to be the family of 00:25:18.529 --> 00:25:22.829 God in a lonely world. Loneliness is one of the 00:25:22.829 --> 00:25:30.519 biggest issues in Farnham. Countless are lonely. 00:25:31.420 --> 00:25:35.559 Many of them in a crowd. And we're called to 00:25:35.559 --> 00:25:38.799 be the place where people can belong. A lighthouse 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:41.339 for the lost. A table with seats for prodigals 00:25:41.339 --> 00:25:46.059 coming home. I met Steve this week for coffee. 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:50.240 Steve goes right back to the beginning and remembers 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:53.859 those verses that we used to say. And he's got 00:25:53.859 --> 00:25:56.500 prophetic gifts. I always listen to Steve. And 00:25:56.500 --> 00:25:58.839 most of the time he's right. Sometimes he isn't. 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:02.740 But he said, I just feel in this year of faith, 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:07.440 we need faith that people are going to come to 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:11.500 faith. And I thought, that's like God speaking 00:26:11.500 --> 00:26:14.859 to me. I don't want him to get big -headed. He 00:26:14.859 --> 00:26:19.680 was a channel sort of thing. Have we got faith 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:22.619 that people are going to come to faith? Do you 00:26:22.619 --> 00:26:27.509 know what I have? Come. January and our next 00:26:27.509 --> 00:26:29.190 Vision Sunday, because we like lots of vision. 00:26:31.750 --> 00:26:33.549 There's going to be people here who've just come 00:26:33.549 --> 00:26:40.950 to faith. I'm believing it. Because the kingdom 00:26:40.950 --> 00:26:49.089 is advancing. I'm praying Acts 26, 18, where 00:26:49.089 --> 00:26:52.430 God says, to open their eyes so that they may 00:26:52.430 --> 00:26:56.509 turn from the kingdom of darkness to light. and 00:26:56.509 --> 00:26:58.829 from the power of Satan to God, that they may 00:26:58.829 --> 00:27:01.970 receive forgiveness of sins and a place among 00:27:01.970 --> 00:27:05.950 those who are sanctified by faith. What a wonderful 00:27:05.950 --> 00:27:10.369 prayer. Fourth B, belong. We are blessed, bought, 00:27:10.589 --> 00:27:16.910 and belong to go beyond. It says he set it all 00:27:16.910 --> 00:27:19.049 out before us in Christ, the long -range plan 00:27:19.049 --> 00:27:20.769 in which everything would be bought together 00:27:20.769 --> 00:27:24.450 and summed up in him. Everything in deepest heaven. 00:27:25.079 --> 00:27:28.420 And everything on planet Earth. See, the church 00:27:28.420 --> 00:27:32.940 isn't just a social club. The church isn't just 00:27:32.940 --> 00:27:36.160 a social action charity doing good in our town. 00:27:36.240 --> 00:27:40.539 We do do good in our town. We're not just a Sunday 00:27:40.539 --> 00:27:44.160 hobby. We're people who are all in, as Hayley 00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:50.559 brought us from God earlier. We're a visible 00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:55.049 outpost of God's kingdom plan. A plan to unite 00:27:55.049 --> 00:27:59.289 heaven and earth under Christ's reign. I mean 00:27:59.289 --> 00:28:02.430 it's a big calling that we have. Our why is as 00:28:02.430 --> 00:28:09.930 big as you can get. We have a ministry of reconciliation. 00:28:10.250 --> 00:28:12.630 Helping people reconcile themselves with God. 00:28:13.470 --> 00:28:16.049 Helping people reconcile themselves with each 00:28:16.049 --> 00:28:20.769 other. It's why we work so hard to bring people 00:28:20.769 --> 00:28:23.269 together in Farnham. To bring churches together. 00:28:24.040 --> 00:28:28.920 In Farnham, looking at Andy and Rebecca and Ben 00:28:28.920 --> 00:28:31.880 play a key role in bringing churches together. 00:28:34.960 --> 00:28:37.119 Let me just show you a little aside. This is 00:28:37.119 --> 00:28:39.619 like an advert, okay? So you can switch off if 00:28:39.619 --> 00:28:44.539 you want and make a cup of tea. But I just need 00:28:44.539 --> 00:28:48.779 to honour Ben Wills here, who hate me now for 00:28:48.779 --> 00:28:50.980 bringing the spotlight, but he has done a phenomenal 00:28:50.980 --> 00:28:56.009 thing. If you go to farnhamchurches .events website, 00:28:56.329 --> 00:29:01.029 it brings all of the churches together. So this 00:29:01.029 --> 00:29:03.910 Sunday, these are all of the church... Let me 00:29:03.910 --> 00:29:09.109 just put it up on that screen. These are all 00:29:09.109 --> 00:29:11.789 of the church services that are happening in 00:29:11.789 --> 00:29:14.049 the town. If you want to look at baby and toddler 00:29:14.049 --> 00:29:21.230 groups, if the internet's working, you can search 00:29:21.230 --> 00:29:24.839 up... Oh, it's disconnected. Any of the church 00:29:24.839 --> 00:29:28.500 -based Mums and Tots groups. If you want to look 00:29:28.500 --> 00:29:30.500 at youth groups in the town, you can look up 00:29:30.500 --> 00:29:34.480 any, there we are, any of the youth groups. All 00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:36.680 the events that are happening across the churches, 00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:39.500 the outward -looking events, inviting people 00:29:39.500 --> 00:29:45.079 to them, are up on this website. And our man, 00:29:45.180 --> 00:29:47.960 Ben, put it together. So I think we should give 00:29:47.960 --> 00:30:21.430 him a little clap. We're to go beyond as a unifying, 00:30:21.589 --> 00:30:26.630 reconciling people. That when the world looks 00:30:26.630 --> 00:30:28.849 at us, they should catch a glimpse of heaven. 00:30:29.319 --> 00:30:32.099 A glimpse of the future, a future where justice 00:30:32.099 --> 00:30:34.640 rolls like rivers, where swords are beaten into 00:30:34.640 --> 00:30:37.660 plowshares, where every tribe and tongue gathers 00:30:37.660 --> 00:30:41.299 around a throne in love. And it is counter -cultural 00:30:41.299 --> 00:30:46.460 in our polarised, opinionated world. God is calling 00:30:46.460 --> 00:30:50.920 us to bring people together. Paul goes on, he 00:30:50.920 --> 00:30:54.359 says, It's in Christ that you, once you heard 00:30:54.359 --> 00:30:56.960 the truth and believed, found yourselves home 00:30:56.960 --> 00:30:59.099 free, signed, sealed and delivered by the Holy 00:30:59.099 --> 00:31:02.900 Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a down payment, if 00:31:02.900 --> 00:31:05.140 you like, of God's kingdom. The Spirit's the 00:31:05.140 --> 00:31:08.380 light that pushes back the darkness. And that 00:31:08.380 --> 00:31:11.839 is what's happening this autumn. Beloved, we 00:31:11.839 --> 00:31:16.200 live in a world of shadows. Fear, greed, loneliness, 00:31:16.539 --> 00:31:20.240 division. But Paul says at the centre of all 00:31:20.240 --> 00:31:23.680 this, Christ rules the church. And the church, 00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:25.519 you see, is not peripheral to the world. The 00:31:25.519 --> 00:31:28.019 world is peripheral to the church. The church 00:31:28.019 --> 00:31:32.019 is Christ's body in which he speaks and acts, 00:31:32.140 --> 00:31:34.500 by which he fills everything with his presence. 00:31:37.859 --> 00:31:40.640 We may feel we're 100 people in a church hall, 00:31:40.759 --> 00:31:44.970 but God sees us very differently. And all the 00:31:44.970 --> 00:31:47.210 programs, all the things we're going to be doing, 00:31:47.269 --> 00:31:50.650 all the things we'll be sharing next week comes 00:31:50.650 --> 00:31:55.690 out of a conviction that we are something far 00:31:55.690 --> 00:31:59.329 more significant than a group of 100 people in 00:31:59.329 --> 00:32:04.269 a school hall. We're the church. We're Christ's 00:32:04.269 --> 00:32:14.250 body. That's quite a why, isn't it? The church 00:32:14.250 --> 00:32:16.630 exists to be the body of Christ, the place where 00:32:16.630 --> 00:32:22.250 his light breaks into the darkness, where hope 00:32:22.250 --> 00:32:25.950 outshines despair, where love overcomes hate, 00:32:26.069 --> 00:32:29.150 where life defeats death. That's what we are. 00:32:31.849 --> 00:32:35.950 Jesus is no longer on this earth in bodily form, 00:32:36.069 --> 00:32:41.869 but instead his presence comes by his spirit. 00:32:42.990 --> 00:32:50.730 And fills his church. Wow. And we, the church, 00:32:51.250 --> 00:32:55.890 are his body in the world. In Farnham. In our 00:32:55.890 --> 00:32:59.829 street. By his resurrection and ascension, Christ 00:32:59.829 --> 00:33:03.230 is exalted to be Lord of all. He's head of all 00:33:03.230 --> 00:33:09.069 things for the church. And the church is his 00:33:09.069 --> 00:33:14.869 body. Intended to express him in the world. That's 00:33:14.869 --> 00:33:19.509 a high calling, isn't it? More than that, the 00:33:19.509 --> 00:33:22.210 church is intended to be a full expression of 00:33:22.210 --> 00:33:27.349 him. What does that mean? By being filled by 00:33:27.349 --> 00:33:31.150 him. Whose purpose is to fill everything that 00:33:31.150 --> 00:33:37.690 there is. We, the church, are his body. In Farnham 00:33:37.690 --> 00:33:40.279 at this time. It blows your mind, doesn't it? 00:33:40.880 --> 00:33:43.839 It blows my mind. That's why I'm passionate about 00:33:43.839 --> 00:33:46.339 the church. That's why I'm passionate about it. 00:33:46.900 --> 00:33:49.779 Universal, all the different churches, even though 00:33:49.779 --> 00:33:51.220 a lot of them have got a lot of things wrong, 00:33:51.420 --> 00:33:55.319 in my perspective. And when I get to heaven, 00:33:55.380 --> 00:33:58.299 I probably find that actually, perhaps I got 00:33:58.299 --> 00:33:59.980 a few things wrong as well over the ways. But 00:33:59.980 --> 00:34:03.160 anyway, we need a confident humility to engage 00:34:03.160 --> 00:34:07.180 with others. But in all of its frailty, there's 00:34:07.180 --> 00:34:13.280 nothing like it. The church, you see, is not 00:34:13.280 --> 00:34:15.260 peripheral to the world. The world is peripheral 00:34:15.260 --> 00:34:17.139 to the church. And have we got faith for that? 00:34:17.860 --> 00:34:20.679 Because if we have, it makes what we're doing 00:34:20.679 --> 00:34:25.820 very different. As you read that first chapter 00:34:25.820 --> 00:34:30.619 in the book of Acts, we just see a radical church, 00:34:30.820 --> 00:34:33.440 don't we, that we wanted to be all those 20 years 00:34:33.440 --> 00:34:37.880 ago when we started it all off, a loving church 00:34:37.880 --> 00:34:41.480 that reflects the New Testament. where people 00:34:41.480 --> 00:34:43.679 took off their masks and shared their lives with 00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:46.980 one another. That was what we went for decades 00:34:46.980 --> 00:34:50.159 ago, where people laughed and cried and prayed 00:34:50.159 --> 00:34:53.579 and sang and served together in authentic fellowship. 00:34:53.699 --> 00:34:55.480 That was the vision that we had right at the 00:34:55.480 --> 00:34:57.719 beginning. We've talked about it many times. 00:34:58.409 --> 00:35:00.369 Those who had more shared with those who had 00:35:00.369 --> 00:35:03.610 less till socioeconomic barriers melted away 00:35:03.610 --> 00:35:06.050 in the book of Acts. And we want to see that 00:35:06.050 --> 00:35:09.230 in Farnham in our day. People relating together 00:35:09.230 --> 00:35:12.289 in ways that bridge gender and racial chasms 00:35:12.289 --> 00:35:15.050 and celebrated cultural differences. That's what 00:35:15.050 --> 00:35:16.909 the church did then and that's what the church 00:35:16.909 --> 00:35:22.269 is doing now. As an example to the world. An 00:35:22.269 --> 00:35:27.960 expression to the world. Acts 2 tells us this 00:35:27.960 --> 00:35:31.420 community of believers, the church, offered unbelievers 00:35:31.420 --> 00:35:34.840 in their time a vision of life that was so beautiful 00:35:34.840 --> 00:35:38.099 it took their breath away. And it was so bold, 00:35:38.159 --> 00:35:40.579 so creative, so dynamic, they couldn't resist 00:35:40.579 --> 00:35:44.840 it. Verse 47 of chapter 2 in Acts says that the 00:35:44.840 --> 00:35:48.059 Lord added to their number daily those who were 00:35:48.059 --> 00:35:52.739 being saved. We need to stir faith. Wouldn't 00:35:52.739 --> 00:35:56.019 we love it to be daily? That people were coming 00:35:56.019 --> 00:36:01.340 to faith. We grow as a church by being the sort 00:36:01.340 --> 00:36:04.340 of church Christ wants us to be. One with him 00:36:04.340 --> 00:36:07.300 right at the centre. It's why we break bread 00:36:07.300 --> 00:36:10.679 every Sunday. A church full of the Holy Spirit. 00:36:11.559 --> 00:36:15.840 Full of Bible truth. Because those sorts of churches 00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:19.380 have the power to transform people. And transform 00:36:19.380 --> 00:36:24.050 lives. Because it's Jesus' why. He was there 00:36:24.050 --> 00:36:30.110 to bring life. I get to meet all sorts of people 00:36:30.110 --> 00:36:33.429 these days, civic leaders and people who have 00:36:33.429 --> 00:36:39.230 got titles that I don't understand and who play 00:36:39.230 --> 00:36:41.710 a significant role in our community. A lot of 00:36:41.710 --> 00:36:46.349 it's so good. But what I realize more and more 00:36:46.349 --> 00:36:53.829 is just how unpowerful these people are. Actually, 00:36:53.969 --> 00:36:58.190 how limited the power they have really is. Yes, 00:36:58.190 --> 00:37:01.429 they can allocate money. There's good -hearted 00:37:01.429 --> 00:37:04.349 people they can seek to set up initiatives that 00:37:04.349 --> 00:37:08.670 will help people. But in it, you know, they can't 00:37:08.670 --> 00:37:12.070 really get to the core of the problem, which 00:37:12.070 --> 00:37:15.469 is the human heart, isn't it? It's what the Gospel 00:37:15.469 --> 00:37:17.750 says, what the Bible says, what we've said for 00:37:17.750 --> 00:37:21.409 years. A businessman can provide sorely needed 00:37:21.409 --> 00:37:23.750 jobs. Wide educators, I've said it before, can 00:37:23.750 --> 00:37:25.650 teach useful knowledge about the world. Self 00:37:25.650 --> 00:37:28.889 -help programs can offer effective methods of 00:37:28.889 --> 00:37:33.730 behavioral modification. Psychological techniques 00:37:33.730 --> 00:37:36.570 can help in self -understanding. It's all good. 00:37:36.630 --> 00:37:40.030 We want to use the good that is there. But actually, 00:37:40.289 --> 00:37:44.710 what can really transform the heart of people? 00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:52.500 It's an encounter with Jesus, isn't it? I've 00:37:52.500 --> 00:37:55.199 said so many times, there's only one power that 00:37:55.199 --> 00:37:57.059 exists that can do that. It's the power of the 00:37:57.059 --> 00:38:01.699 love of God in Christ Jesus. The love that conquers 00:38:01.699 --> 00:38:07.739 sin, wipes out shame, heals wounds, reconciles 00:38:07.739 --> 00:38:11.340 enemies, patches up broken dreams, ultimately 00:38:11.340 --> 00:38:15.659 changes the world one life at a time. And that's 00:38:15.659 --> 00:38:18.119 what we're about to do through the autumn in 00:38:18.119 --> 00:38:24.199 so many different ways. The writers of Scripture 00:38:24.199 --> 00:38:27.079 tell us that this vision is the way things are 00:38:27.079 --> 00:38:31.900 supposed to be. And we, the church, his body 00:38:31.900 --> 00:38:35.780 full of truth and the presence of his spirit 00:38:35.780 --> 00:38:42.179 are his chosen vehicle to change the world. We're 00:38:42.179 --> 00:38:47.590 here to change the world. I mean, we start by 00:38:47.590 --> 00:38:51.610 changing ourselves, changing our families. But 00:38:51.610 --> 00:38:54.969 we're ultimately here to change the world. Do 00:38:54.969 --> 00:38:57.750 we believe it? Have we got faith for it? Because 00:38:57.750 --> 00:39:00.590 if we have, it motivates us in a different way 00:39:00.590 --> 00:39:06.190 when it comes to rotors, giving our money, serving, 00:39:06.369 --> 00:39:09.590 thinking, oh, I'm just a bit knackered today. 00:39:09.690 --> 00:39:12.510 I don't want to do that. Actually, if we've got 00:39:12.510 --> 00:39:16.070 this why in our heart, It actually makes all 00:39:16.070 --> 00:39:18.409 those things. You know, I want to do that. I 00:39:18.409 --> 00:39:20.130 want to get involved with that because people's 00:39:20.130 --> 00:39:22.449 lives are going to be changed. I'm going to make 00:39:22.449 --> 00:39:26.170 a cake for the Refresh Cafe because actually... 00:39:26.170 --> 00:39:38.110 Unfortunately, that bit of the tape glitched 00:39:38.110 --> 00:39:41.349 out and we've got a little static on it that 00:39:41.349 --> 00:39:47.230 I'll put on later. Whatever it is, I can make 00:39:47.230 --> 00:39:49.989 cakes. The challenge is there now, isn't it? 00:39:53.849 --> 00:39:59.269 You see, all the stuff we're going to do has 00:39:59.269 --> 00:40:02.489 to be motivated by our why, doesn't it? I mean, 00:40:02.489 --> 00:40:04.090 we've got to think about how we do it as well, 00:40:04.130 --> 00:40:05.849 because we want to reflect Jesus in that. But 00:40:05.849 --> 00:40:08.789 we don't want to just focus on the doing without 00:40:08.789 --> 00:40:11.610 understanding and having real faith for the why 00:40:11.610 --> 00:40:17.150 we're doing it in the first place. You can channel 00:40:17.150 --> 00:40:20.730 Juliet, but that's probably not a very good thing 00:40:20.730 --> 00:40:26.289 to say. You can represent Juliet. You see, without 00:40:26.289 --> 00:40:28.389 churches, let me just finish with this, without 00:40:28.389 --> 00:40:33.789 churches filled with the power of God, or without 00:40:33.789 --> 00:40:36.329 churches so filled with the power of God, they 00:40:36.329 --> 00:40:39.269 can't help but spill out and go beyond the church. 00:40:41.789 --> 00:40:46.170 Goodness and peace and love and joy. bringing 00:40:46.170 --> 00:40:49.730 all that into the world, depravity wins the day. 00:40:50.690 --> 00:40:55.670 Evil will flood the world. Evil will flood our 00:40:55.670 --> 00:40:59.849 town. Darkness will flood our town if we don't 00:40:59.849 --> 00:41:05.170 stand up and shine the light. Now, we might think 00:41:05.170 --> 00:41:08.989 we're a little bunch of people and we can't deal 00:41:08.989 --> 00:41:12.289 with that. It's too overwhelming. But didn't 00:41:12.289 --> 00:41:20.139 he say a little bit of yeast? See, it doesn't 00:41:20.139 --> 00:41:25.179 have to be as it is. The kingdom of light and 00:41:25.179 --> 00:41:29.579 love and life can break in and is breaking. And 00:41:29.579 --> 00:41:32.639 this autumn, the forces of darkness, I believe, 00:41:32.659 --> 00:41:36.440 are going to be pushed back. I believe that this 00:41:36.440 --> 00:41:39.920 term, we're seeing an advance in the kingdom 00:41:39.920 --> 00:41:44.000 of God. Not just corporately, but in our lives. 00:41:44.119 --> 00:41:45.960 I've spoken to people this week where there is 00:41:45.960 --> 00:41:49.170 breakthrough needed. In people's lives. Where 00:41:49.170 --> 00:41:53.050 the kingdom of light is flooding in. And for 00:41:53.050 --> 00:41:56.909 too long there's been darkness. Whispers from 00:41:56.909 --> 00:42:00.369 the enemy. And the kingdom of light is breaking 00:42:00.369 --> 00:42:03.389 in. And pushing back the kingdom of darkness. 00:42:03.530 --> 00:42:06.750 The evil one who's had his way in this world 00:42:06.750 --> 00:42:10.690 for many, many too long. I believe he's going 00:42:10.690 --> 00:42:14.510 to be forced back this term. As we. His body. 00:42:17.530 --> 00:42:21.690 Grasp the why. I don't know about you, but when 00:42:21.690 --> 00:42:24.789 I think of Farnham and just hear the statistics 00:42:24.789 --> 00:42:27.550 about young people in the town now, hear statistics 00:42:27.550 --> 00:42:31.130 about all sorts of ways that things are breaking 00:42:31.130 --> 00:42:34.849 down, when Hayley comes back from school and 00:42:34.849 --> 00:42:36.949 tells me all the training she's had and what 00:42:36.949 --> 00:42:39.809 they're recognising is happening with little 00:42:39.809 --> 00:42:46.349 kids, you think crumbs. There's a thief who's 00:42:46.349 --> 00:42:50.670 been stealing things. And it's time for us to 00:42:50.670 --> 00:42:59.030 rise up as his body in this town. Amen? Philippians 00:42:59.030 --> 00:43:02.150 4 .3 says, I'm ready for anything through the 00:43:02.150 --> 00:43:08.769 strength that Christ who lives in me. We, Jubilee, 00:43:09.010 --> 00:43:13.309 are the church. God, if I sound like Angela then. 00:43:13.550 --> 00:43:21.059 Angela Kem. We are the church. We're his body. 00:43:22.980 --> 00:43:35.159 The risen Christ's body. Us. Now. Wow. Let the 00:43:35.159 --> 00:43:41.739 thief retreat. And Jesus bring life. Abundant 00:43:41.739 --> 00:43:44.659 life this autumn. Amen? Let's stand, shall we? 00:43:55.279 --> 00:43:59.059 Lord Jesus, we thank you for your word. We thank 00:43:59.059 --> 00:44:01.719 you for the truth within it. I just pray, Lord, 00:44:01.760 --> 00:44:06.940 that you'd speak through these passages that 00:44:06.940 --> 00:44:11.179 we've looked at this morning. That even as we're 00:44:11.179 --> 00:44:15.650 listening, If we've had little whispers from 00:44:15.650 --> 00:44:21.329 a serpent, I just pray that you would help us 00:44:21.329 --> 00:44:25.909 resist them. Because we know that your word says 00:44:25.909 --> 00:44:30.190 the enemy then flees. Resist the devil when he 00:44:30.190 --> 00:44:36.349 flees. Why? Because we're Jesus people. And all 00:44:36.349 --> 00:44:39.570 authority in heaven on earth was given to Jesus. 00:44:41.190 --> 00:44:45.440 And as we read on our... Each Sunday, Jesus says 00:44:45.440 --> 00:44:49.119 he's with us. So we thank you, Lord Jesus, that 00:44:49.119 --> 00:44:52.460 you're with us. And we want to be your body. 00:44:53.380 --> 00:44:56.739 And we want to do that well and to be a good 00:44:56.739 --> 00:44:59.639 expression, full of your truth, full of your 00:44:59.639 --> 00:45:03.599 spirit in our community in these days. And Lord, 00:45:03.699 --> 00:45:06.199 we want to be in the good of that as we then 00:45:06.199 --> 00:45:07.880 start thinking about all the exciting things 00:45:07.880 --> 00:45:10.440 we're going to do. But we want to be motivated 00:45:10.440 --> 00:45:15.159 in all of our doing. by this glorious why. And 00:45:15.159 --> 00:45:19.079 we ask you to help us stir faith, stir vision 00:45:19.079 --> 00:45:22.300 in our hearts for it. In Jesus' name. And as 00:45:22.300 --> 00:45:24.980 we come to this communion table, Lord, we thank 00:45:24.980 --> 00:45:39.300 you that each week... Each week... Each week 00:45:39.300 --> 00:45:44.030 we remember... Your promise that you said that 00:45:44.030 --> 00:45:47.630 you would give us your body. That you walked 00:45:47.630 --> 00:45:50.949 around on earth, Lord Jesus. You showed us the 00:45:50.949 --> 00:45:56.610 way. And then it cost you everything. And you 00:45:56.610 --> 00:46:04.110 broke your body for your people. You shed your 00:46:04.110 --> 00:46:10.500 blood for your church. It cost you everything 00:46:10.500 --> 00:46:17.780 so that it's free for us. And so we come to this 00:46:17.780 --> 00:46:22.960 communion table today knowing our why, knowing 00:46:22.960 --> 00:46:25.300 that you gave everything for us, that we could 00:46:25.300 --> 00:46:29.179 live free, that we could know abundant life. 00:46:29.239 --> 00:46:31.519 And Lord, we're sorry when we don't enter into 00:46:31.519 --> 00:46:34.380 it in the way we should, when we're half -hearted. 00:46:35.659 --> 00:46:38.400 And I just pray, Lord, as we come and take communion 00:46:38.400 --> 00:46:43.639 this Sunday, you would help us say to ourselves, 00:46:44.019 --> 00:46:48.800 enough is enough. The enemy is not having any 00:46:48.800 --> 00:46:53.360 victory in my life. But the Holy Spirit has come 00:46:53.360 --> 00:46:58.000 to transform me, to be more and more like Christ. 00:46:58.539 --> 00:47:00.940 And so we want to encounter you as we take the 00:47:00.940 --> 00:47:03.860 bread and the wine this morning. We want to... 00:47:04.440 --> 00:47:07.599 become more and more like you. And we want to 00:47:07.599 --> 00:47:10.619 do what you did. Because it's all about you, 00:47:10.679 --> 00:47:13.760 Lord Jesus. And we thank you that we come in 00:47:13.760 --> 00:47:15.599 the good of that as we break bread this morning. 00:47:15.900 --> 00:47:18.059 In Jesus' name. Amen.