- “In the beginning was the Word…”
- The Word and creation, life and light
- Flesh and Glory
He is Risen!
(John 20:1-18)
(1) The things people say
(2) Mary’s despair
(3) The Lord appears
(4) The resurrection of Jesus and true hope
- What happened to Jesus?
- Why did it happen?
- Through the eyes of the Chief Priests
- Through the eyes of Pontius Pilate
- Through the eyes of the Roman soldiers
- Through the eyes of Jesus
- Why does it matter?
- By His death Jesus takes away our sin (John 1:29)
- By His death Jesus ends our condemnation (John 3:14-16)
- By His death Jesus draws to Himself a people from all nations (John 12:32-33)
- What is worship?
- What does worship look like?
- Drawing near to God
- Holding fast to our hope
- Considering each other
What should our outward witness look like?
- We have a God to announce
- We have a kingdom to embody
- We have a World to influence
- We have a people to help and to love
- We will be the method of hearing for those who God has prepared.
- We need to be prayerful
- We need to act in love and good deeds.
Four pictures to consider:-
Jesus builds his church with
a. some uniquely commissioned for teaching and decision making
(Matthew 16: 18-20, Acts 15, Galatians 2: 1-14)
b. a church given considerable responsibility to govern its own affairs.
(Matthew 18: 15-20, 1 Corinthians 5)
c. leaders who care and serve their brothers and sisters
(1 Timothy 3, Acts 14: 23)
d. each member of the body exercising different gifts
(Romans 12: 3-8, 1 Corinthians 12)
The balancing act
PBC: Elders, Leadership and Admin Teams, formal Membership
Which questions should we be asking and answering?
A gathering in which:
- The Gospel is foundational (2:32-41)
- Jesus is central (2:42)
- Prayer is crucial (2:42)
- Fellowship is habitual (2:42,44,46)
- Generosity is tangible (2:44-45)
- Devotion is noticeable (2:46-47)
Competing Spirits:
The spirit of Individualism vs.The work of the Holy Spirit
- When Jesus spoke to the Church (Matt 16:13)
- Confessional (Matt 16:16, 1 Cor 12:3, 2 Cor 4:5)
- The relationship between Lord and Disciple (Acts 9:1-5)
- The One Body: Christ as Head of the body of believers (1 Cor 12:12-14,27)
- The Body: the relationship between Disciples
- Gathering together (1 Cor 1:2, 11:18-20)
- Seeking the common good (1 Cor 12:7)
- Implications
- Signs of significance
- Most roads lead here
- God’s new creation in the midst of a hostile world