Unless a seed falls to the ground and dies….

Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.

As we know in life there are times and seasons, and in churches too.
God brings some things to a close and does new things.

“Forget the former things do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you not perceive it ?” Isaiah 43:18,19.

God is constantly working, shaping, changing, moving in His creation to bring about His purposes. We need to make sure we’re a part of that, cooperating with Him.
Taking hold of the new things He is doing, by faith. Walking by faith, not by sight.

When Jesus was arrested, tortured and crucified, things looked grim, the disciples despaired, but God was doing a new thing, bringing about His will through Christ’s suffering.
Bringing forgiveness and salvation to all who would receive it. Things are not always what they seem outwardly. We need to fix our eyes on what is unseen.

Read John 12:20-36.

From the falling to the ground, and apparent drying up and death of a seed, there comes new life, as we thought about last week.
Seeds, then shoots, and subsequently fruit.
Death is not the end. We have eternity with God, clothed in a new resurrection spiritual body, to look forward to.
But to receive that, we need to believe that Jesus Christ has died for our sin, that His death has brought us salvation and to put our trust in Him.
We need to die to ourselves, to our selfish and sinful nature, to live.
‘It’s no longer I that liveth but Christ that liveth in me’.
Life comes from God, and it comes through death.

As I said a few weeks ago, Isaiah 62 is God’s word to us here at present.
- God of the new thing, change, transformation, making us the people He wants us to be, something which glorifies God, indeed we will feed on the harvest that God will give, and a new name is given as part of that.
To those of you who have been seeking God and listening to what He has been saying over this past year, this may be a shock but won’t come as a big surprise.
We believe God is leading us to close The River Church.
Why ?
The history of churches in Lostwithiel is not very positive – splits in the Methodist church over buildings, many leaving and joining the Anglicans, revival breaking out under the ministry of a new vicar which is then quickly quenched, people then leaving the Anglicans to set us a new church, the AOG, people leaving the AOG because they weren’t happy and subsequently setting up the River Church. These splits were not amicable, and there has been much bitterness left as a result.
The Lord is cleansing the town of these spirits and healing the damage done. The freemasons moving out for example. Even the AOG, Lostwithiel Christian Fellowship, moving away and amalgamating with Bodmin I believe is part of God’s working in all this.
God wants to draw a line under all that has happened. There is a cleansing going on in Lostwithiel, and since judgement starts with the people of God, the church is being spiritually cleansed too.

How have we got to this point ?
My life calling is to prepare the way for the Lord, and that is the main way God has used me in whatever He has called me to, and here is no exception. But there has been more to do in that than I initially expected, and I have made mistakes….particularly in wanting to go ahead and move on, before everything had been done that God wanted in preparation.
– First there was the closing of the River Christian Centre, which came very clearly,
– I then felt God then say build the local church.
– At that point we were coming into Elim which I believe is of God, and they asked if we wanted to change the name, I made an error of not going away and praying about it, which I should have done, and so we kept the name of the River Church, which I now believe was wrong.
– Over the years we have struggled for vision for the church even though we had vision for the Lostwithiel area. It has not been disastrous and people have grown spiritually, but we have seen relatively little fruit, especially in terms of conversions. To start with you simply persevere, and many people who have been involved in rural ministry said to keep at it that it takes time, but we started to ask why we weren’t seeing more, when doing all the ‘right things’ ?
– About a year ago, independently, two people in the church suggested that perhaps the River Church needed to close. I was open to this possibility, and prayed that God would make it clear - something like this we needed to be very sure. Over the coming months as leaders we talked and prayed further.
– What God revealed is that the beginnings/foundation was wrong. When a building has wrong foundations, you don’t tinker around repairing it, you tear it down and start again with right foundations. God spoke to me through a Geoff Feasey book and subsequent meeting. It wasn’t just a case of repentance - something we had already started - but the church spiritually and in people’s perceptions, needed to die.
– Isaiah 62 was given as a Scripture – a very positive one I might add.
– We have had peace and inner witness over this, even though humanly wanting an easier path. God’s way is narrow.

It was not easy to see how we can get where we need to be from where we are, but that’s not the reason we’re closing River Church – we believe God has told us to and it’s because of the way it was conceived and born, and the history of the church in Lostwithiel.
As I have said God is dealing with the past, drawing a line under it, doing a new thing.
In preparing the way for what God wants to do, we have been praying about whether there are people effected by the past that we need to apologise to, and I have written some letters and so on, last year at the Pentecost service apologising publicly to the other churches. Clearing the way for God to move in the way He wants to.
This is something we all need to do personally as well, making sure that as far as possible we don’t have anything against others, or they of us.

The River Church will close, but God is not finished with Lostwithiel, by no means.
The vision for this place stands, a town known for Jesus Christ, where He is honoured and glorified, and Pam and I are convinced we are to play a part in that, but if any of us want to be a part of that, we need to change, and not just tinker with the old, but to die to it.
That goes for the church and for us individually.

We will be launching a new church. Learning from the past but not tied to it. Our experiments with the Crunch, creative and family services, were just beginning to scratch the surface.

The future new church will be as a church plant with a committed core of Christians, but with it’s focus on Jesus foremost, and on outreach into the community – a community church, in the community, for the community. It will exist for discipleship and mission.
Total commitment will be needed by the Christians called to this – to each other, to evangelism, discipleship, and a church with a radical and relevant culture.
Not a copy of something done elsewhere, something new, unique, created by God.

Timetable – after today it will start to become public knowledge.
The last service of the River Church will be Sunday 4th May. After that there will probably be 2 months of reflection, prayer and preparation – this time is very important, and you may want to fast as part of that.
Then the new church launched at the end of June, God willing.
You may have lots of questions, but there’s really little more at this point to tell you.
God will sort out the details as things progress – it’s important that this is His work.

God wants each of us to pray and seek Him – ask Him where does He want you, and in what state spiritually ?
This will not be something for the faint hearted, it will not be comfortable, this will not be the sort of church you can just attend as a Christian spectator, it will mean hard work and prayer.
You must go where God calls you and if the Lord leads you on elsewhere, so be it, go with our love, for I want you to be where you can grow, the right place for you.
But if you come to believe you should be a part of the new church here, then be 100% committed to it, or don’t come.
There is time to pray and seek the Lord, so that He can speak to you, …so that you can come to a point of being able to say a positive yes in faith.

The text of what I have said this morning will be going on the Church website under sermons, for anybody who couldn’t be here for whatever reason.

God has been saying for a while now, prepare the way – deal with sin, repent, clear away any rubbish, get a new heart from God and be filled with His Spirit. It’s happening.
If you love the Lord be encouraged.
Change can be uncomfortable, but God never promised us a comfortable life, in fact the opposite - Trouble, persecution, change, life in all it’s fullness.

God is at work, be in no doubt. Let’s make sure we’re where we are meant to be, and ready.

Take some time, pray over the coming weeks, but when it comes to it,… make a clear choice. ….And a clear commitment.
No-one should just drift into the new church.
Over the next month, services will continue and I will be sharing more as things develop.

For some of you the future of the church here is perhaps not relevant (as you’re only with us temporarily), …but the principles of what we have been looking at are.

Let Jesus be Lord of your life, …Jesus has bought you by His blood…..so die to your own desires and wants, listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying and be obedient to the One who loves you.
Don’t reject what God says because it means big changes, some of the best decisions of my life involved big changes, and look at the changes people went through in the Bible – God is creative, let God be God, He knows what’s best for you, you can trust Him completely.
Put your trust in the Lord.

Talk part 1.

Jesus enters Jerusalem to cheering and praising crowds, waving palm branches and putting them before the young donkey He was riding. Within days the crowds are shouting for his death and those who were with Jesus desert him.

Dramatised reading - Matthew 26:14-75.

Jesus is betrayed.
By Judas who handed Him over, by Peter who denied Him, by the disciples who ran in fear. Jesus’ pain came not just from the beatings of the soldiers, or the scourging, or the crown of thorns, or the taunts and insults of His enemies….but the emotional pain of betrayal.
Of being badly let down by those closest to you, friends who you trusted with important things, those whom you shared most intimately with.
After His arrest, Jesus was alone, and on the cross we believe that even God the Father turned away so to speak, as Jesus takes our sin upon Himself, and cries ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me’.
The amazing thing is that He knew it would happen.

Read Mark 10:33,34.

Jesus, with purpose and determination sets His face towards Jerusalem. And even though He knows Judas will betray Him, He still shows him love and trust. Even at the point of betrayal, calling him friend.
If that doesn’t teach us a lesson about trust, I don’t know what will.
Trust, …….not because a person is trustworthy, but because it’s right to do so. .
Were the disciples trustworthy, when things got tough ?
Was Jesus naïve ?
Was He gullible ?
No, He knew more of what was going to happen than anybody….but He still showed trust.

If we are to follow Jesus, to have the same attitude, then God wants us to be trusting people, even though it may be emotionally painful.
Jesus suffered and died for us, taking our sin on Himself, because He loves us.
He loved Judas who betrayed Him. He loved Peter who denied Him. He loves the disciples who ran away. He didn’t like what they did, but He loved them anyway….just as He loves you and me.

Talk part 2.

What is betrayal ?
Well, it’s not when someone disappoints you or doesn’t live up to your expectations.
It’s not when someone does something you don’t like or agree with.
Betrayal can be one of the hardest things in life to deal with, when someone you trust, who you are close to, who you think loves you, then hurts you terribly.
There is duplicity involved, maybe saying one thing to your face, but something quite different behind your back to someone else. Acting as a friend to you, but then doing something which badly hurts you and betrays your trust. Maybe using personal information you’ve shared against you.

I’m afraid this happens a lot in churches, and is one of the most destructive things in church leadership. Usually it comes of pride and people seeking power, rather than humility and a desire to serve. Satan gets in and causes havoc.

Those who have suffered sexual abuse as a child, from an adult that they trusted, will know this incredible pain that comes from betrayal. A betrayal that for a child can last for many years.
A betrayal which many people can’t face until they’re much older. But God brings these things to the surface at the right time, and can take the pain we feel and heal us.
Maybe your father or mother deserted you as a child, or rejected you, and you feel the pain of betrayal…..from someone who should have loved you and nurtured you.
Perhaps a good friend let you down, as Judas betrayed Jesus.

Maybe you are the betrayer. Perhaps it’s you that has betrayed someone close to you.

Sometimes we are just unthinking and make mistakes, and sometimes it is more deliberate, we are so focussed on our own agenda and getting our way, that we are unaware of, or don’t care about, the hurt we are causing along the way.

But Jesus is the healer. Whatever has been done to you by others, whatever you have done…Jesus has died on the cross for the sin involved,… and the pain caused.
He has taken our sin, and our pain or sorrows. Do you believe it ?

Read Isaiah 53:4,5.

Come to Jesus.
Let His Spirit fill every part of you, every memory.
Confess your sin and know His forgiveness and cleansing.
Give Him your pain, bring it to the cross, and let go, He doesn’t want you to carry this heavy burden.

Talk part 3.

In many places where you go around the country there is some very negative church history.
Divisions, splits, fights for power, betrayal, and so on.
Why is this ?
Because not everyone who goes to a church is a true believer, there are wolves in sheep’s clothing, …..and because even those who are true believers, are also human.
How we need God’s grace.

Lostwithiel is no exception. There has been freemasonry, splits, betrayals, that have occurred in the churches here. There are many hurts that people still have from the past. These will get in the way, unless they are dealt with. The Lord has been doing this cleansing and healing work, but there is more.
This time the move of the Spirit must not be allowed to be quenched, as it was in the past.
I believe that what God is doing here will endure.
A community transformed by the love and power of God, a community cleansed of evil spirits, a community known for Jesus.
I say what God is ‘doing’ very deliberately, because things happen first in the heavenly realm before we see the fruit of it in the physical, and there is much going on unseen.
Rejoice ! God is on the move. Prepare the way, in your life and in prayer. Welcome Him.
Jesus has died for Lostwithiel, He comes by His Spirit to claim it.
It may get messy, there will be changes and upheavals, as God establishes His Kingdom here. But that which He has spoken, that will He do. God finishes what He begins.
Believe it, take hold of it, live in it.

Let’s pray for it’s fulfilment, and give Him no rest and ourselves no rest, until we see it.

Isaiah 62 – some brief notes.
He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the church.

Isaiah lived in Jerusalem, in 8th century BC - Lived through reign of several kings, good and bad.
Isaiah was a man who had seen the holiness of God, and therefore his own sinfulness and doom.
He had experienced forgiveness and God’s atonement for his sin.
He had known the grace of God.
As a result of this he was a willing and eager servant of the Lord.
He was given prophecy from the Lord which he was told that the people would not listen to.

Read Isaiah 6:1-10.

But although within the book of Isaiah are words of judgement, it is also a book of hope, of restoration, of revival, of vision for the future, …..ultimately of God’s amazing grace to His people.

Looking at Isaiah 62 -
There are many ways to think of Zion in this passage, many ways that God will apply these words, so be listening to the Holy Spirit.

i) Physical Jerusalem, people of Israel. Jealousy of Arab nations today.

ii) New Jerusalem – in the millennium on earth, and beyond, that comes from heaven. Jewish and Gentile believers united.

iii) This is prophetic for us as God’s people here.

iv) You personally.

The Lord will not stay silent or rest vs1,
nor should we vs 6,7.
Ask, seek, knock. Persist.
God’s righteousness and salvation will be seen.
Called by a new name given by God.
His people are to be something that adorns God, that He is pleased to hold and wear.
No longer deserted or desolate, but my delight is in her and she is married.
Lord rejoices over her.
Commitment of sons to Zion, as in marriage.
Watchmen – who keep watch for both danger and the King’s return.
Call on the Lord continually.
There will be a harvest where once it was stolen away. (Lostwithiel).
Need to enter the city, pass through the gates, lay hold of what God gives.
Obstacles in the way that need removing, and highway to be built.
Raise a banner for the nations, the heathen peoples. The banner is Jesus.
See your Saviour comes. Look through the eyes of faith.
Holy people set apart for God, redeemed and living in His blessing.
Receive the word of God. Lay hold of His blessings. Lay hold of God.

Listening

Today’s British society bathes in entertainment. If it’s not exciting and entertaining, today’s young people especially, switch off (and I don’t just mean the television).
But those of us who are older know that that’s not what life is about.

Listening to someone talking, even if they are the words of life itself, is considered dull, and people find it difficult.
Marriage or a relationship has to be constantly exciting and changing. No wonder so many couples break up, …with the subsequent devastation that causes to the children. No wonder we’re so dysfunctional as a society.
What about faithfulness, commitment, COMMUNICATION, trust, honesty, intimacy, forgiveness ?
These are the things which make a healthy marriage or friendship.

With the busyness of life we can forget how to really, actively listen to another human being. …..And we struggle to listen to God.
So many times our asking prayers involve guidance, because we find it hard to know God’s will and leading.

If your head is buzzing, if you’re thinking about loads of things, or are worrying, ……or are anxious emotionally, …..you will not be able to hear properly what someone is saying to you. You might catch odd bits, or get the wrong end of the stick, but you won’t hear their heart.
To hear another, you have to active concentrate and focus on them.
To hear another person, or God, it is vital to get rid of any baggage, and our own agendas that might be getting in the way.
To clear our minds of thoughts, and our hearts of personal emotions, so that we can fully focus on the person speaking.

Read Philippians 4:4-7.

If you still feel anxious after praying, then you’re not letting go and trusting God with whatever it is, …..you’re hanging on to it.
Do you believe God’s in control or not ?
Do you believe God is all powerful or not ?
Do you believe that God really loves you or not ?
If you don’t, then your view of God is faulty and you probably need to spend more time in Scripture getting to know what God is really like, and explore where this faulty view of God comes from – our parents, or our reaction to tragedy are most common.
If you do believe God is in control, all powerful, and loves you, …then let go.
Then you will know God’s peace….as a protection over your heart and mind, emotional life and thought life – both are very important to be at peace in.

So let’s do it now, either out loud or in quiet, bring anything troubling you to the Lord. Obviously, any sin you’re aware of – jealousy, lust, pride, unforgiveness, bitterness, gossip, greed, and so on.
Confess it and know His forgiveness and cleansing. A cleaning out inside of junk and muck.
Give every sin, every thought, and every emotion over to Him, one by one, until non are left, ….accept an awareness of God……..

………Now we’re going to meditate on God’s word, and some of what the psalms says about being still :

Get people to close their eyes, then Read Psalms 46 ; 37:1-13 ; 107:23-32 ; 131.

The context of some of those verses may have surprised you….. Stillness in some cases can be described as ‘a totally focussed awe’.
‘Wow, God is incredible’.

1 Peter 4:7 says, ‘The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply….’

Is prayer a one way conversation ?
So to pray, to have this two way communication with God, according to this verse, we need to be what ?
- Clear minded and self controlled.
And to love others deeply obviously means listening to what’s on their hearts. To do that, we need to be clear minded – have nothing on our minds, in the way……and to be self controlled…to keep self under control, again not in the way, not taking pre-eminence.
It is the other we are focussing on. To consciously give your full attention to another person, to listen to what they’re saying - not just the words, but the tone, body language, and what they’re not saying too.

Being clear minded is not just a Buddhist or Hindu thing.
It is a basic requirement of any meditation, because it’s the way we are. We have finite brains and emotional capacity that can only deal with so much at any one time. If you want to give yourself fully to listen to another person, or as a Christian to listen to God, it is obvious that you need to clear other thoughts and feelings out of the way first. Clearing some memory, some RAM for those liking computer analogies.

Practically in life, most of us find ways to deal with large amounts of information and things calling for our attention – calendars, diaries, lists, pda’s, mobiles, secretaries, etc. We invent systems.
I personally use a diary and ‘to do’ list, so all I have to remember is to look at them, rather than try to hold a lot of things in my head.

That’s the practical stuff of life. But the harder and more important stuff to deal with is the emotional – anxiety, anger, frustration, stress, doubt, grief, and so on. You can alleviate some of the symptoms through controlled breathing, etc, but basically, we need to bring these feelings to God, and let go of them.
Not to deny those emotions, but to trust Him with it, with whatever has caused those feelings in the first place.
The bigger our view of God’s power and love, the more likely we are to do it, …..but the bottom line is that we need to give ourselves over to God, to recognise that we are His, that when Jesus suffered and died He bought us for Himself.
To get worked up over things in our life, angry and bitter because someone has offended us for example, is self focussed, is not of faith and trust in God, is not of love, and therefore is sin.
So what do we do with sin ?
- We confess it and repent.
What does God then do with that sin ?
- He forgives it and takes it away, and cleanses us from it.
The before and after contrast, is between scarlet and brilliant white.

To love God with all that you are, body, mind, soul, heart, spirit, the lot. To love others as yourself. This is fundamental.
This total commitment to loving God and others is so important.
To listening, to relationships, to becoming what God wants us to be.

Read Romans 12:1-2.

Want to know God’s voice, to hear Him clearly ? Then do what Paul says here. Conversely, if we don’t, we will always struggle to hear God speaking to us.
This passage in Romans then goes on to talk about serving one another in the body and using the gifts God has given us to do this.
It starts with giving ourselves over to God, acknowledging Him as Lord, not just with our lips, but with our whole being.

If you want to hang on to self, to sin,….or hold back because of doubt or fear, ……do you really think you will experience God in a real and powerful way ?
Are you going to be hearing His voice clearly ?

Put yourself on the sacrificial altar, on the cross where we have been crucified with Christ. Die to self and live for God.

Read Luke 9:18-26.

Jesus lays it on the line for us. The choice is yours and mine.
Live for yourself and die, or die to yourself and live.

Living in vibrant, loving, intimate relationship with God and His people. Hearing one another and hearing God.

If you action what I have talked about today (that’s assuming that you’ve been listening), it will be a big step towards living and walking in the Spirit.
Living in the Spirit, can be summed up as Hearing God, Trusting God, loving God, and Obeying God.
But to hear Him we must get rid of anything in the way, to prepare the way for the Lord, and that includes in our minds, and in our hearts or emotions. To hear Him clearly, we need to be in a right relationship with Him, with Jesus as Lord, surrendered completely
to Him. Then we stand a chance of living in the Spirit, the most wonderful way there is to live.

Worship

How do we worship?
Ask your group to write a list of the things they and their friends ‘worship’, e.g. TV, sport, fashion, money and pop groups.

*

What do they do to show their ‘worship’ for these objects and people? (Consider merchandise, clothing, and season tickets, particularly for football)
*

What do they see others ‘worship’? (Money, power, technology)

Suggest that we can tell what people’s priorities are by what they worship, and how much they value something by how much they are willing to give for it.

Key point: Our priorities will influence and affect how we spend our time and make decisions.

Music -

The Bible

Now let’s look at the biblical words. In both Hebrew and Greek, there are two major kinds of words for worship. The first kind means to bow down, to kneel, to put one’s face down as an act of respect and submission. Our body language is saying, I will do whatever you want me to. I am ready to listen to your instructions and I am willing to obey. The other kind of biblical word means to serve. Roughly half of the time these words are translated as worship, and the other half as serve. It carries the idea of doing something for God — making a sacrifice or carrying out his instructions.

Of course, word meanings don’t prove what worship is, but they do illustrate three kinds of worship. There is

worship that involves speaking, and worship that involves listening, and a worship that involves doing.

There is a worship that expresses the heart, and worship that involves the mind, and a worship that involves the body. There is a worship that is giving praise upward, a worship that is receiving instructions from above, and a worship that carries out instruction in the world around us.

We need all three types of worship. Some people focus primarily on speaking or singing praise to God. Praise is good, but if all we do is praise God, without ever listening to what he says, we have to ask whether we believe the words we are saying. If he is really all wise and all loving, then we need to be attentive to what he is telling us, because he is worth listening to.

Similarly, all talk and no action does not show God the respect he deserves. Actions speak louder than words, and if our behaviour isn’t changed by God, then our actions are saying that God isn’t important — he’s a nice idea, but not relevant to our day-to-day lives. When we really believe that God is worthy of every praise, then we will be willing to listen and to change the way we live in response to such a worthy God. We will trust him and seek him and want to please him as much as we can. Worship should affect our behaviour.

Questions?

1. Do we want to please God?

2. Do we see worship as simply singing songs?

3. How can worship affect our behaviour?

Responding to God

Worship is a response to God. We can’t know God’s worth, much less declare it, unless God reveals himself to us. So God initiates worship by revealing himself to us. Then we respond, and the proper response is worship. The more we grasp his greatness, his power, his love, his character, the more we understand his worthiness, the better we can declare his worth – the better we can worship.

Our worship is a response to what God has revealed himself to be, not only in who he is, but also in what he has done and is doing and will do in the future. Worship includes all our responses to God – including a response with our mind, such as our belief in God’s worthiness, our emotions, such as love and trust, and our actions and our words. Our heart expresses itself in words and songs; our mind is active when we want to learn what God wants us to do, and our bodies and strength are involved when we obey and when we serve.

Both Old Testament and New Testament tell us that our relationship with God should involve our heart, mind, soul, and strength. It involves all that we are. Worship involves heart, mind, soul and strength, too.

Now is our chance to respond to God….

Community or Alone

We can worship God all by ourselves. But it is also something we do together. God has revealed himself not just to me, but to many people. God puts us in a community, he reveals himself to a community and through a community, and the community together responds to him in worship, in declaring that he is worth all honour and praise.

I just want to point something out here. Something I believe is important. When we sing in church it is simply singing songs to God - part of our worship. So we don’t have a worship leader, we have a song leader.

The Early Church

Acts 2 tells us how worship was done among the people who saw Jesus’ example and followed it. “Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about 3,000 were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (vv. 41-42). This is their response to God, their devotion, their worship: they accepted the message — they believed, they were repentant, they were baptised — and they devoted themselves to

* being taught,
* sharing with one another,
* breaking bread, and
* prayer.

Luke is giving a summary description, not a formula for worship services.

“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people” (vv. 46-47). They worshipped in the temple, and they worshipped in their homes. They praised God, they were happy, and they were sincere.

When we examine worship customs, we need to distinguish between what is required, what is permissible, and what is helpful. Few things are required, and few things are forbidden. The many things in between are permissible – if they are done for the glory of God. Luke doesn’t tell us much more about worship. To learn more about worship, we turn next to the writings of Paul.

Paul is a primary source for what first-century churches did and how they operated. But Paul says very little about worship. Words for worship are found only a few times in Paul’s letters. He doesn’t tell us how we should worship. Perhaps that is because Paul sees worship as something we are to do all the time. John Piper expressed it in this way: “What we find in the New Testament, perhaps to our amazement, is an utterly stunning degree of indifference to worship as an outward ritual, and an utterly radical intensification of worship as an inward experience of the heart…. The very epistles that are written to help the church be what it ought to be in this age [are] almost totally devoid of…explicit teaching on the specifics of corporate worship”

In these verses, preaching the gospel is an act of worship. Paul was not a Levite, but he had a priestly duty, and that was to worship with all his heart by preaching. In our worship services today, the sermon is just as much a part of the worship as the songs are. Whenever the gospel is preached, worship is being done. God’s greatness is being proclaimed. Worship is in the listening, too, as people seek to learn what God wants us to be doing. A worshipful attitude toward God is one that respectfully listens to what he may be saying to us.

Every act of obedience is an act of worship. It declares that God has worth. And whenever we share the gospel with someone, we are declaring God’s worth. We are engaging in the priestly service of preaching the gospel, the worship of being a witness to God’s grace. We tell what a great thing God has done in Jesus Christ, and how that has been good news in our life. We are declaring his worth. We are giving worship in everyday life. We don’t have to wait for a church service.

What is worship?
Worship can be defined as adoration. Christians would say that all humankind feels drawn to worship because we were created to worship God.

The first time the word worship is mentioned in the Bible is in Genesis 22 when Abraham is asked by God to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. Read up to verse 18 and make the point that God’s request was not cruelty, simply part of his plan to test Abraham and see if he was prepared to obey God in everything.

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How can Abraham’s actions be seen as a good illustration of true worship?
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Does worship have to include surrender?
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What would you find impossible to surrender as an act of worship?
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What do you find easy to worship?

Bible bit
Read Romans 12:1 and ask the group:
* What does it mean to ‘offer your body as a living sacrifice’?
* Is worship something that must involve music?
* If not, why is it so central to our church services and why do the Psalms so often encourage us to ’sing to the Lord’?
* What, if anything, is special about musical worship?

Activity
Give each young person paper and pens and ask them to draw a pie chart of their day, giving time to each activity such as sleeping, eating, walking to school etc. Discuss how they could potentially use each activity and each time of day to worship God.

Key point: Worship is not limited to certain activities, days or times. God doesn’t only want our worship on our lips but on our hearts. Our worship should be done daily in every part of our lives. The proper response to worship is not emotion but action.

To analyse our worship practice, we need to ask these questions:
* Does it glorify God? That is one major purpose of worship.
* Does it build up the body of Christ? That is another major purpose.
* And third, does it help us be what God wants us to be in the world? Does it have practical results in our lives?

Dramatic absolute statements like – the reason people aren’t healed is because of their lack of faith ; all people who are sick, it’s because of their sin ; all Christians should be materially prosperous – are not true, …but like most of Satan’s deceptions there is some truth, it’s just been twisted or made into an accusing, condemning statement, making people feel bad about themselves, …….just as Satan used Scripture in tempting Jesus.

But here’s a truth, …not always, ….but sometimes we’re going through hardship – sickness, financial problems, relational problems, etc….because we’re struggling with sin…..and God is disciplining us.
We can distort God’s word and have a wrong understanding of His character – to oppress and control others…or to make ourselves feel more comfortable. To have an easier God.
It is a truth - God disciplines us as His children.

Many of you as individuals have been going through God’s discipline.
Some of you still are. But it’s because God loves you.

This chapter encourages us to realise what’s going on and to do something about it.
The key is this :
“How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live” – vs 9.
At the end of the day it’s very simple.
Submit to God, give in, let go, stop struggling against Him.

Your plans, ideas, thoughts, skills, abilities, knowledge, time, experience….give it all up to Him. Your life is not your own, you were bought at a price…the sacrifice of Jesus.
Don’t hang on to sin :
Lust.
Greed.
Pride.
Jealousy.
Fear and anxiety.
Doubt.
Bitterness.
These things will destroy you if you let them. It’s your choice. As a believer you have the power to overcome sin through the grace and power of God within you.

Okay let’s look at this chapter :

Vs 1-3. Look at what ordinary people in the past could do by faith in God.
Don’t let sin reign in your mortal body, throw it off.
Don’t give up the race, keep going.
Look to Jesus, pioneer and finisher, who suffered so much for you.

Vs 4-11. We are in a race, marathon, a ‘struggle’ in fact. But different to how Hitler saw it when he wrote ‘My Struggle’. Evolutionists will always see it as a struggle for survival against outside obstacles and competitors. For Hitler it was the Jews, inferior peoples as he saw it, and opponents. As Christians we recognise that our war is with Satan and his forces, and that our struggle is with sin, whether it be in others or ourselves.

God’s discipline can be severe (vs 6 is ‘scourges’). In our anti capital and anti corporal punishment society, many balk at that.
Why should God be so severe, I thought He was a God of love ?
Because we can be so stubborn and foolish that sometimes His discipline needs to be severe or we don’t learn and change.
So, will God allow someone to become seriously ill or be involved in some bad accident for example, as a discipline ? – yes absolutely.
Because the state of our spirit or soul is so important. He loves you so much.
‘He’s patient with us not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance’.
If you’re a loving parent you discipline your children because you love them and want them to learn right from wrong and choose what is right. God loves us perfectly, and wants us to learn – preferably the easy way be simply being obedient and living holy lives that are a testimony to others….but if not, the hard way.
Don’t focus on the pain of your suffering or struggles in life, focus on the Lord and submit to Him. Then He’ll better be able to teach you and mold you, through it.

Vs 12,13. Drooping hands and weak knees are a sign of despondency, exhaustion – don’t give up, persevere in the race, unimpeded by stuff, and with a right focus.
When a horse is lame…things can go either way – disablement and being put down, or healing. When God disciplines us it is like lameness. If we persist in sin, we can then either become totally disabled, or we can strengthen what is left and make level path.
Where Scripture talks about level paths it is talking of holiness. The highway of holiness. Living God’s way, in His will. Being set apart for Him alone – no other gods or boss, just the Lord. Is that you ?

Vs 14. Some think holiness is about what you don’t do – no drinking, no modern entertainment, no smoking, etc. That’s the way the Pharisees thought.
God says there are some things more important – compassion, justice, mercy, faithfulness. Our attitude towards others is of greater importance to God than keeping a set of rules.
Live in peace with all men. The word is strong, it means to follow, pursue. Take hold of peace with others. Be determined not to be divisive or confrontational, but as far as it is up to you, live at peace with everyone.
Without holiness you won’t see God, i.e. go to be with Him when you die – it’s that important.

Vs 15. Bitter people cause trouble. And spread their cancer of accusation, resentment, and hurting others. Bitterness and unforgiveness are some of the most destructive forces in the Church today. Yeast in the dough. Weeds among the wheat. A spreading virus.
Relationships are damaged as a result.
Be very honest before God, and deal with bitterness before it destroys you and those you love around you.
How does bitterness grow up ?
- When people miss the grace of God. So how does that work ?
God forgives ALL your sin in Jesus Christ – every deed, word, and thought.
When you really grasp that, how terrible your sin is, and that God still forgives you….how can you hold onto bitterness towards another ? You can’t.
The grace of God in our hearts and our relationships, will keep us in God’s ways and makes us holy.

Vs 16,17. We’ve looked before at sexual issues. Immorality is any sexual relationship outside of committed, heterosexual, lifelong marriage. Again we are likely to come under God’s discipline if we persist in bitterness or sexual immorality, because it is not what God wants for us.
But what’s this about Esau ?

Esau gave up something very important for something which didn’t matter at all, but that he chose at the time to be more important.
Are you prepared to give up your inheritance as a Christian, for sin – for the physical gratification of lust, for holding onto bitterness and a grudge, for material possessions, for jealousy of another, for some earthly comfort ? Is it worth it ?
Is the little pleasure you may get now, worth a lost eternity ?
Repent before it’s too late, or you will miss out on what God has for you now in this life, and you could end up in the lake of fire.

Vs 18-21. God taught His people that He brought out of Egypt, that He was a holy perfect God, and that they needed to be holy too, as His people. And that this holiness was to be a testimony to the nations of God and His standards. He still wants that for His people Israel and for His people, the Church, His spotless bride.
Non believers should be able to look at the lives of believers and see something of God’s character through us and the way we love each other.

Vs 22-24. Through the grace of God, and Jesus death for us, we come to something wonderful. Not a scary smoking mountain, but to something even more awesome.
Rather than being struck down for coming near a holy God, through Jesus we can approach the living God in confidence, coming to our Father in Heaven.
But having received this revelation, having received so much from God, …..to then turn away from Him, to make light of His discipline, to continue in our sinful ways, to trample the Son of God underfoot,…is far more serious.

Vs 25-29. Do not refuse Him who speaks to you. The Israelite nation suffered much because it was proud, stubborn, and again and again wouldn’t submit to God.
Do you want to suffer as they did because of rebellion against God’s authority ?
Die to self. Die to pride. Die to rebellion.
There is going to be a great shaking as part of Jesus’ return, both of the heavens and the earth – earthquakes, stuff falling from space, and so on. The created things will be destroyed by fire and there will be a new heaven and new earth.
Bearing that in mind, what’s really important, what’s important to you in your life ?
What will last, or that which will be destroyed ?
There are times when God shakes a nation, or the Church in a nation, or a local church fellowship. And even as individuals.
When He puts us through the fire, to refine us, and see what comes out.
Will gold remain, or will all be burned up ?
Our God is holy. He is a consuming fire which destroys all that is not holy. Let Him burn up the rubbish in your life, so that only what is of Him will remain.
Submit yourself to the Father of our spirits.

Vs 28. ‘Let us be thankful’ is not a good translation. It is rather let us have or be in ‘grace’.
We recognise that God is holy and awesome, that without Him and remaining in Him we are lost. We need His grace and to be in grace every moment of everyday. To have His grace for others, …think about that in all your relationships – undeserved love for everyone.
To demonstrate His grace to the world – this is how people will know that you are my disciples, if you love each other. Is that what people see and hear ?
A mixed, motley, band of people who are committed to each other in love.
If you’ve been coming here regularly for a while, if you’re not committed to loving the others which make up this fellowship, then either you haven’t taken hold of the grace of God yet, or you’re in the wrong place. (Bit of a shake).
To be committed to one another in love is a basic. If we haven’t got that, we don’t have a chance of becoming what God wants.
And all of us need to spread the net and catch more fish. To love others and draw them in by the grace of God. Accepting, forgiving, not condemning, going the extra mile.
The word of God as we share it, and the Holy Spirit will do the work in conversion.
In our attitude, we are called to love and to live in the grace of God.

Over the next period, probably a couple of months, we’re going to be re-visiting Vision and seeking God as to shaping that vision.
What He wants for us as the River Church, putting a bit of flesh on the bones.

As a leadership and as a whole, asking God to speak to us prophetically and clearly.
It will stretch us in our faith and challenge us.
As a consequence of clarifying and focussing on where we are heading you will have an inevitable question to answer – Do I belong here ? Is this vision something I can commit myself to or not ?
Because we will only grow into what God wants if we are moving forwards together in unity of heart and mind, with a shared vision and desire for God to fulfil that vision in us.
I would rather be pruned and be fruitful, than to be a dead tree.
For those who commit in, God will have a part for each one of us to play, a role that He has given to us to fulfil, to build up the Church in Him.

What God is looking for is for people to step out in faith and take up the things He is calling them to. If you are a foot, to do the work of a foot, if you are an ear to listen, and so on.

Read Romans 12:3-8.

Give yourself fully to whatever God has told you to do. Inside the Church and outside.
It’s total commitment, because you are working for Jesus Christ – in an employed job, as a volunteer, bringing up a family, at school or college, whatever you do, do it for Jesus.

I said briefly last week that you cannot justify Biblically giving nothing to God’s work. You also can’t justify doing nothing (e.g. parable of the talents).
That doesn’t mean being workaholics, or justification by works, or always being on the go.
God has given each of us things to use for His glory – spiritual gifts, natural talents, experiences, time, money and possessions, or a particular calling.
What are you doing with what God gave to you ?
Are you living in obedience to what He is saying ?
Are you even bothering to listen ?
Or is fear holding you back ?

Because it’s usually fear of something that gets in the way.
Fear of letting go, fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of the unknown.

Let’s give ourselves to the One who ‘is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work in us’ (Eph. 3:20).

Let me give you an example of how I believe Church can work.

God gave Anna a vision, a hearts desire to start a Toddlers group.
She tried to start at different times but God said no it’s not the right time. So she kept praying about it.
Then there came a time when it felt right, that God was giving a nudge.
Anna spoke to the leadership and to myself. We agreed to pray more focussed and I asked her to put the vision down on paper.
We then brought together what we felt God was saying, and looked at timescale, resources, and so on.
God then provided wonderfully….. as she stepped out in faith.
This is Anna’s vision, what God has given her, so God wanted her to run with it…but with the full support and backing of the leadership.
Many people in the Church believed this was of God and have got involved.
The focus is very much on sharing the love of God with the children and adults who come.

Part of what Church is about, is releasing people into their ministries and the vision God gives them.
Most of the time when someone comes to me, they say, the church should be doing this, or even you, Pastor should be doing this….but then they say I can’t be involved, I can’t head it up…for so and so reason.
Sorry but I’m not interested.
My time is already full, and I need to seek to do what I believe God has called me to.

But if you come to me with something that God has put on your heart, that you’re willing to run with, and I witness that this is from God, I will do my best to support you in it.
But I won’t do it for you. …….God gives you a vision for a reason, to live it out.
Test it and make sure it’s from God and not your own desires, but then have the courage and faith to step out and go for it.

There are people here who I believe God has called already to certain ministries, and as yet you are resisting the Holy Spirit and not moving into them. Your calling may not be to minister in the Church, but from the Church, in some form of outreach or evangelism for example…. ..and we want to encourage and support you in that.
Look and listen for the new thing God may want to do in your life.
So whether it is serving within the body of Christ or outside to the world, go for it…and the place to start is in prayer. That’s where it begins….coming before God openly and honestly, submitting ourselves before Him.
Listen without agendas, without excuses, without limitations.
Then talk and pray it through with myself or one of the leaders.

When we step out in faith and are obedient to God, something wonderful happens….He undertakes, He provides, He anoints with His Holy Spirit. God steps in as we are obedient.
Jericho and it’s walls. Gideon against the vast army.

It’s the same with personal witnessing to others about Jesus, and many other things. As we step out, God moves in power, giving us what we need to do His will.

As I said the other week - The call of God on our lives will always take us outside of our comfort zone. It will take us through new experiences and challenges.
But God goes ahead of us, with us, and behind us.

You may not feel that you know what God wants you to do specifically.
Pray, ….but let me give you’re a tip, seek God Himself rather than an answer….answers come as we focus on and worship Him……and do something to test things out.
Don’t be like the lazy servant who did nothing.
There are things which God has told us all to do regardless of any specific calling or task
– To love Him, love each other, to make disciples, and so on.
Do what you know to be right and grow closer in your relationship with God, and at the right TIME, He will speak into your life.

‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight’. Prov. 3:5,6.

God’s timing is perfect. Whatever you might want to happen or to do.
He sees the big picture, knows everything….so we need to trust Him…and cooperate with Him, not rushing ahead and not lagging behind……which you have a tendency for will depend on your temperament.
There are seasons in our lives, and I’m not just talking about childhood, adolescence, young adult, middle age, etc….with God there are seasons, spiritually, and they don’t necessarily correspond with our physical age.
God may begin His greatest work in your life when you’re 65, 75, …or if you’re ready, when you’re very young, even 7 – that’s how old Joash was when he became king, and did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Yes he had advise and instruction, but he chose to listen to it and do what was right.
God’s timing is perfect, as it was for Joseph, becoming prime minister of Egypt after all he went through. How could it be possible? - a slave, a convict, becoming prime minister – ridiculous. Possible because we have a great and powerful God who orders the lives of people like you and me, and works His purposes out in and through us.

Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-14.

We all know that life has it’s ups and downs, times of elation and times of struggle, times for different activities……but we don’t want to be fatalists, just waiting for stuff to happen….if you love Jesus, you want to obey Him and be in His will for your life.
Walking with Him, in the Spirit.
Is that your desire ? If not, why are you here ?

He has a plan for your life as a believer, as He had a plan for Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Daniel, Joseph, Peter, Saul who became Paul, and so on.
A calling, and a means of taking you into that calling. A journey, a process, training, shaping, purging, pruning, cleaning……and filing.
Along the way all sorts of stuff happens, but none of it is wasted, not even our mistakes. Simply love God with all you are.

So we’re going to look at these verses, …opposites, …paradoxes, through spiritual eyes, and relate it to life as a follower of Jesus Christ.
There are appointed times in your life, God’s plan for you.

Born – We are born, a wonderful miracle.
We are born again of the Spirit – without which no-one can enter God’s Kingdom.
God conceives and births things in our lives.
Isaiah 66:9 – ‘Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery ?’.
Think about the process of pregnancy – joy, frustration, fears, struggle, pain.
Die – Everybody dies, and we need to be prepared for that day, which could come at any time. Need to die to sin, self. Need to die to the past, to some relationships, to some church experiences that can colour the present.

Plant and uproot – Sometimes God wants us to put down roots and be committed to a place, church, or job…to build relationships built on trust.
Sometimes He moves us on, uproots us….especially if we get too comfortable or lazy.
We need to plant seeds into people’s lives, the seeds of God’s word….and sometimes what we have put into someone’s life is not good and needs uprooting – through confession, repentance, forgiveness, and prayer.
Kill – kill sin, kill pride and arrogance, kill bad habits.
And remember Jesus was killed for you, that you might be saved. If Jesus blood was not shed, you would not know forgiveness.
Heal – There are times of healing. Physical healing.
To heal up from the past. Things done to us by others – parents, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, and things we have done to others – to ask for forgiveness and seek to heal the relationship.

Tear down & Build – sometimes things need to come down in our lives, and stay down, sometimes they need to be rebuilt, better and with a firmer foundation.
Jesus is the foundation, and obedience to His commands. And His main command to us His disciples, is ‘to love one another’. Don’t forget that when you are building, or more accurately building with Jesus – church, business, family, whatever - because unless the Lord builds the house we labour in vain.

Weep and laugh – both are healthy expressions of emotion, and important to being a balanced human being. Never feel ashamed to cry or laugh, especially over things that effect you deeply.
Suppression of emotions is very damaging and can cause all sorts of mental and emotional chaos in our lives, particularly bad and common in Christian homes, is suppressed sexuality. We need to acknowledge our sexuality and deal with it in the Spirit, not pretend it doesn’t exist and suppress it, or even despise it. God invented sex. But it needs to be in the right context, of marriage, and submitted to the Holy Spirit.
And have a good laugh as long as it’s not at other’s expense.

Mourn and dance – If you suffer loss, then mourn that loss, let yourself mourn, but with God’s perspective. We don’t mourn as this world mourns, because we have a hope beyond death.
Mourn with others who mourn. Comfort them with the same comfort that you receive from God. Dance and rejoice with those who rejoice. Enthusiastic dancing is freeing, releasing.

Stones are often symbolic in the Bible, usually to build memorials, or to build alters – these can be to God or to idols, to honour God or others. Who are you honouring in your life ?
In Jewish understanding this was also a metaphor for marital intercourse.
Paul gives specific instruction on this.

Read 1Cor. 7:3-5.

Embrace and refrain –

Read 1 Cor. 13:4-7.

Love means wanting God’s best for someone else and working towards that. It means being considerate about how they are feeling. You might want a hug, the other person might be very uncomfortable about having one. Between the opposite sex, our love should be pure as between sisters and brothers. Paul says there should not even be a hint of sexual immorality.
Searching – if we seek God with all our heart, put everything into it, then He will be found by us. (Jer. 29:13). ‘Heart’ implies depth and emotion – this is not cerebral belief.
Open your heart to God. Especially men, who find this hard. Be vulnerable before God.
Thirsting and hungering for righteousness, to be right with God and to do what is right.
Seeking for truth – the truth of God that is found in Jesus and the Word. Eagerly desire spiritual gifts especially prophecy.
Jesus came to seek for the lost, ….as His body now on earth, so do we.
Sometimes what we seek for in life isn’t actually good for us and we need to stop – selfish ambition, status, power, money, sex, comfort. Give up material aims and goals.
To love God, love one another, and make disciples – that’s the priority of life, and of this Church. Our mission in life, our purpose.

Keep – hang onto what is good, avoid every kind of evil. Hold onto Jesus and your relationship with God through Him, there is nothing more precious. He is everything, and without Him you are nothing. Hold on to Jesus.
Throw away – ‘throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us’. What hinders your walk with God ? - TV, computers, music, busyness, the wrong job, stuff ? …..ask yourself honestly, and do something about it. Jesus is so much more important. Remember to be a friend of anything in this world is to be an enemy of God.

Tear and mend – In the Bible people tore their garments as a statement of anger and displeasure. Sometimes if we’re walking with God, we feel righteous anger about something which hurts others, or dishonours Him. There are times when it’s right to express anger against injustice for example, but these times are not frequent in the early church, so we need to be careful. The early church was typified by the grace and power of God.
As Saul grabbed Samuel’s robe and tore it, so was Israel torn from his leadership.
Tearing is a violent act, a sign of anger and judgement.
Mending is to put together, to fix something which is broken. God mended Israel over and over again, such is His mercy and grace (modern Israel, and the Church).
Sometimes it feels like we’re under discipline, being torn…..but God will mend and heal us.

Read Hosea 6:1-3.

Silence – God is in heaven and you on the earth, so let your words be few. Where there are many words sin abounds. Sometimes we need to keep our mouths shut.
Speak – what builds others up. If something isn’t positive, seriously think about whether you should say it. Speak out the Gospel. Speak out God’s word – the Bible and prophetic. Speak out against injustice towards others, especially those who can’t stand by themselves.

Love – love God with all that you are and have. He has bought us at a price, we are His. What we do with the money we have is usually a good indicator of where we are spiritually, especially with relation to Jesus’ Lordship of our lives. The money you have been given is His, so ask Him what to do with it. You can argue to tithe, you can argue that tithing is a minimum and that everything is God’s to direct….you can’t argue Biblically to give nothing to the Church and God’s work.
Hate – sin. Hate it in yourself, and in others, and the world. Hate what sin does to people and God’s creation. Hate the works of satan and evil spirits. Hate pride, hate lust, hate greed, hate jealousy, hate discord, hate bitterness, hate lies and deception. Hate prejudice, hate racism, hate abortion, hate divorce, hate torture, hate oppression.

War – we are at war, not against people, but against the spiritual forces of darkness. People are not the enemy. Your fight is not against anyone in Lostwithiel, or in your family, or otherwise. Our enemies are the world system, our flesh or sinful nature, and the devil and his forces. People, all people, need Jesus, and to experience His love.
Even people who have made themselves our enemies…we are commanded to love, and the only way we can do that is with the love of God.
Victory is assured because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, a victory which will be completed when He returns,…but because there is a war, we need to be alert, awake, prepared, as soldiers, and work together in unity.
Peace – Peace with God is found in Jesus Christ, a true peace inside, that this world cannot give. A peace in war, in prison, in noise, in every situation. There are times in life of special peace as well as conflict, but we can know God’s peace inside, always.

‘He has made everything beautiful in it’s time’, even the hard stuff, even our struggles.
God is big, and ‘works in everything for good in our lives if we love Him and are called according to His purposes’.

God is just as much at work in the hard times as in the good, …..the cross teaches us that, and we are called to deny self, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus.

Make the most of every ‘time’ that you go through.
Be determined to grow closer to God, to submit to God and allow Him to change you.
He’s refining you and making you like Jesus.
And as His Church He is refining us, and making us His spotless bride, ready for His return.

1. Comfort.

The call of God on our lives will always take us outside of our comfort zone. It will take us through new experiences and challenges.
If you’re not sure about what I’ve just said, think of people in the Bible and what they were called to and what they went through to get there - Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Jonah, Jeremiah, Nehemiah. What God called each of these people to was way beyond what they’d experienced before….although He prepared them for it. God does new and greater things in our lives if we let Him.

‘Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,…according to His power that is at work within us,….to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever, amen !’ Ephesians 3:20,21.

Don’t try to work out what God wants to do through you, just be willing and obey.
Because what He has for you is always better, and will stretch you further than you would choose for yourself.
Let God do new things in your life, don’t limit Him by the past.

But the journey, the training ground,…. can be hard, as it was for Joseph.
If you’re joining the armed forces, what would you rather do – your basic training,…. or fly planes and driver tanks, and make a difference somewhere. Sometimes the preparation God puts us through, primarily to shape our character….can be really hard work and a struggle.

This is important. Some people say don’t do anything which isn’t your main life’s calling. Not Biblical. Once you move into the fullness of your calling, there’s some truth in that….but you might have decades before that happens. People in the Bible had some long waits, and they just got on with life and served God in whatever way they could. In Potapher’s household, in the prison, and so on.

My calling is not as a children’s worker, but that was one of my first learning grounds in ministry. My calling is not primarily to homeless alcoholic men, but I probably leant more about myself and God in that year than in any other year of my life.
Yes seek an ultimate calling or vision for your life, but more importantly, be obedient to God today, ….where you are God wants to bring His Kingdom to others through you.
We’re all on a journey, and nothing is wasted…unless that’s what we’re doing…nothing.
(Parable of the talents).

2. Calling.

So how do a recognise a calling ? How do I know the direction God might be taking me in the long term ?
Okay, here’s 6 P’s in helping us recognising God’s call :

i) Prompted – what does God prompt you to do regularly, whether you listen or not ?

ii) Passion – what excites you in the Christian life and gets you going ? What thrills you in God’s work ?

iii) Prophetic – what probable prophetic words have been spoken over your life ?
Be very cautious here, lives can be derailed through false prophecy. They should be consistent with God’s word and character, and not be appealing to our sinful nature. Test them and hold them lightly, until you’ve had plenty of confirmation.
The next three are applicable if you’ve stepped out and started experimenting,

iv) Power – what do you experience power in doing, God’s power moving through you ?

v) Proofs – what evidence is there in the lives of others of God using you in a particular way ?

vi) Praise – what do you more often receive thanks or praise for ?

Someone once said to me that you can’t steer a stationary vehicle, it has to be moving.
God will better steer you if you’re stepping out in faith, sincerely wanting to serve Him.

Don’t get hung up over calling.
Seek God with all your heart, stay close to Him, and He will make things clear as time goes on. It often comes when we don’t expect it, quite often it seems when we’re looking after sheep ! – Moses and David. Maybe that’s because both of those people had pastoral roles caring for God’s people. Out in the wilds, solitude away from others, amongst His creation, is often when God speaks significant words into our lives.

Seek God first, …not a calling, not gifts of the Spirit, not healing, not prosperity….the Lord.
Listen to Him without pre conceived ideas about what He might say. That’s very important, don’t come to God with an agenda of your own, if you want to hear His voice clearly – God usually says things we don’t expect.
Die to selfish ambitions and to pride.

3. Commitment.

The Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. You have to keep going over a long period of time to reach the goal at the end. And it’s important in a marathon to finish well, so don’t think of winding down spiritually as you get older. The best may be yet to come.
In a marathon you need 3 P’s :

a) Passion – If you’re going to run a marathon, you’ve got to really want to do it. A word used a lot in Christian circles today, is passion, but it doesn’t appear in many Bible translations, and can be a bit confusing if you associate it with sexual desire and being somewhat out of control. If it helps, think of it as zealous commitment. If you have strong feelings of gratitude and love towards the Lord, you’re passionate.
Think of some films, about figures like : William Wallace, Joan of Arc, King Arthur, Robin Hood - People are attracted to and respond to passion.
Inspiration, longing, hope, determination, being hot for God, on fire with His word and Spirit. Wanting more of Him, more than anything else in the world. Passion.

b) Perseverance – Whatever happens, in the race, you determine to keep going.
If you’ve run long distances you’ll know - Pain will come. Tiredness will come. Distractions and temptations will come ….but you keep going, focused on the goal.

Read Hebrews 12:1-3.

c) Plenty of Water – if you run a marathon, you know you need plenty of water, or you dehydrate and fail to run well or even finish. We need God’s living water, the Holy Spirit. He is our strength and power for the race. Without Him we can do nothing. With Him filling us all things become possible. Our constant companion, an ever present help in times of trouble, our counsellor, teacher, encourager.

‘I can do everything through Him who gives me strength’ – Phil. 4:13.

Keep drinking as you run, don’t let yourself dry out. It’s sometimes even worth slowing down to take a drink sometimes, to be better able to run afterwards.

That’s what we need for the race.
But God gives us even more P’s in the race of life :

I) His provision – ‘everything we need for life and godliness’ (2 Peter 1:3),
‘My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus’ (Phil. 4:19),
‘Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well’ (Matthew 6:33),
‘If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you’ (John 15:7).
God will provide all that you need, both spiritually and physically.

II) His power – ‘Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father’ (John 14:12).
‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses…’ (Acts 1:8).
‘His incomparably great power for those who believe’. ‘The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us’. The power of God, power that transforms.

III) His Peace – in a world that has lost it’s way and is confused, stressed, and at war with others and with God….God gives us His peace.

‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid’ (John 14:27).

We have a restored relationship with God, we are forgiven, we have eternal life, we have His constant presence. We have been given His love for others. We are in God’s hands, He’ll never leave us, we cannot be separated from His love.
These are the things that calm a troubled mind and heart. Assurance that only the Holy Spirit can give. Wonderful !

Isn’t God good ?

I do believe as I stand before you now that the battle is coming to an end. We haven’t won Lostwithiel yet but we will have victory soon. However, before that happens, it seems to me that God must remove from our midst, more of the members of this fellowship. I am sad that you will go but the Lord’s will be done. God will reduce us to a remnant before He will give us victory. Listen to what the Spirit will say this morning as you decide whether to stay or go. Whether you are part of this battle for Lostwithiel or whether you are simply a bystander.

The Parable of the Good Soil

As they went from town to town, a lot of people joined in and traveled along. He addressed them, using this story: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. Some of it fell on the road; it was tramped down and the birds ate it. Other seed fell in the gravel; it sprouted, but withered because it didn’t have good roots. Other seed fell in the weeds; the weeds grew with it and strangled it. Other seed fell in rich earth and produced a bumper crop.
“Are you listening to this? Really listening?”
Luke 8:5-9 (The Message)

I believe that our aim in winning souls is currently wrong. We need to examine once again why we want to see souls won for Christ. Why do I say this? We are doing an evangelism course. But to what end are we choosing to evangelise? I believe God has shown me that some of us want to win souls so the church membership will be bigger. So we can have more musicians. Maybe so we can have more money in. However, whilst these might be wrong, Paul said in Philippians 1:15-18

“It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.[a] But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”

So Paul said that even if we are preaching Christ for wrong motives, at least Christ is preached. However, what I find even more deplorable is when folks don’t want to preach Christ at all. Why? Well maybe quite simply because they like out little family as it is. It is a nice select gathering, isn’t it. We’re all friends here. I will say this as simply as possible, we’re not called to be friends here, we’re called to be brothers and sisters. A family but a unique family because we should be electing to grow this family. God’s will is to have a family in Lostwithiel. God is preparing a remnant to have victory in Lostwithiel. Remember as well that the course is a tool. It is one way to preach the gospel, there are others. But the goal must be to preach the gospel.

But does this victory simply focus on preaching the gospel. When we hear about the good soil it is nearly always in terms of winning the lost. But have you thought about what else the good soil could be? Have you thought that the good soil might be character, money, gifts, service to others. If we see the good soil simply as winning souls, then that is all we need to do, but if the good soil is character say, then we would be obliged to improve out character! This is quite a bit harder. What about the good soil being about how we use our money? Ouch that has got to hurt. If was for a reason that J John once said, “the last thing to be converted is our wallets”.

So how can we produce good soil? Jesus this morning wants us to examine out motives, examine our lives, He wants us to listen to His Holy Spirit and hear what the Spirit has to say. Jesus wants to kill us this morning in order that He might live greater in us. As the seed falls to the ground and dies so that it becomes what it is meant to be, so must we.

You must be prepared to die

Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?
Luke 9:23-25 (New International Version)

Or as The Message puts it:

Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? If any of you is embarrassed with me and the way I’m leading you, know that the Son of Man will be far more embarrassed with you when he arrives in all his splendor in company with the Father and the holy angels. This isn’t, you realize, pie in the sky by and by. Some who have taken their stand right here are going to see it happen, see with their own eyes the kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:23-25 (The Message)

There is a current trend to self-help groups. Positive thinking gurus. We are currently being given multiple methods for improvements. Methods to change character, marriages, attitudes, make you less self-reliant and God say, “Forget methods, look at my Son”.

Have you died to self yet? When you asked Jesus in, you gave your life to Christ but you probably did not fully die. It takes time to die to self and I am asking you this morning to start dying for Christ. Now what do I mean? Well a small and simple death that I am currently contemplating is in driving. God’s will I confidently declare and then I get in my car. I speed, I don’t like others over-taking me, I want the journey to end. I hate stopping for anything. As I was driving along just over a week ago the Holy Spirit said to me, “Are you prepared to die?” Now when you are driving that is quite a funny thing to ask but I knew what the Spirit meant and to be honest, “I said no.” And carried on driving as I always do. But God will have victory, I declare today that I am ready to die when it comes to driving. I want Christ to be the master at the wheel of my car. No more speeding and driving like a fool. Wise driving for me. Is it that simple? No I wish it was. I will need to pray that I die and Jesus lives in me in respect of driving. It will take time but Jesus will have the victory. He will answer my prayer and kill Richard Brown in respect of driving but then there will be another area in which my will be done rather than His will be done and God wants the whole of me.
So this morning when I ask have you died, I mean start dying now. Let me list some areas that I believe the Holy Spirit has brought before me. Money, children, laziness, tiredness, illness, school, ministry, work, family, husband, ownership, possessions, property both house and land, animals, desires, gifts.
It is a start. Because those are specifics but what about driving for instance. It is a challenge to me to drive within the speed limit and laws. What thing is God saying to you this morning, “You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am.”?
The amazing thing about this letting go and letting God in, is that once done, life changes. Not easier, but more peaceful, contentment comes. It won’t be easier, Jesus never said, “take up your mattrice”! He said take up your cross. It is a nasty, painful and ultimately deadly thing the cross. Why the cross? It is the same path Jesus took and He calls us to take the same path.
As I die to self I am becoming more aware of the lies the devil is choosing to feed me. I am more aware of my own vulnerabilities. I am also more aware of the strength of the Holy Spirit in my life. I am more aware of the inconsistencies, of the things that God is desiring of me. It is hard work but that is why the Holy Spirit will come.

“All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:25-27 (New International Version)

We need the Holy Spirit to come and teach us what the Father wants. Our lives are often simply that - our lives - my life - your life - but they shouldn’t be, they should be His life. His life to do as He pleases, not as we please. This morning I believe Jesus wants to kill us, to change us, to lead us into new things. It will be costly are you prepared to pay the price because Jesus wants your whole life.

As we come to the end of the sermon I want to leave you with joy. The joy of service, the joy of salvation and the joy of sovereignty.
“All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God’s Authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you - that’s the agenda for rejoicing.” Luke 10 v 20
We are going to find joy as we report our victories. Both in our own changed lives and in the changed lives of others. Particularly when those changed lives mean salvation in Christ.
But our greatest joy is not found in service or even in our salvation, but in being submitted to the sovereign will of the Heavenly Father, because this is our foundation for both servi