11 August 2019 | St Matt's | 10:30
Oh brothers and sisters try to be with you. You'll find an outline all the seven on the back of your service outline that you're handed as you came in so that you know, baby brain and you can then look back and see where we've gone and just reminder Tuesday inside. You're welcome treats each week There's a blank page which is left for you about blank page is for you. Do I'm jot down notes and thoughts during the sun then because if you're anything like me by the time you say hello to someone at the door in your eyes have the 40 school was what the weather was like you forgotten what was preached know, you're not like me then it's fine that far that riding down box. That's what that encourage you to use that and Suites IAH time as we come to praise. Please have your Bibles to the passage that we're looking at so I please have some in the pews for you to use while you come here. Look at my test line in chapter 5 we lost together. I see all these instructions are going to be given to us in this passage. Did you hear them as the word of God was right?
Or we can just look through this passage together to beautiful passage about being a gospel shaped church about being God's family together. I love that as Christians. We are family. We are brothers and sisters together. It is who we are in Jesus. It's about relationships and he's nuts about our relationship with God who ate old is our heavenly father with Just prayed to a loving heavenly father and that loving heavenly father has sent us his son Jesus who is our brother. And we who I am Jesus our brothers and sisters together. Say my sisters and brothers is great to be with you again this morning. How to Make Old Friends of God elsewhere in the Bible that idea of being friends with God is that we no longer estranged from God another longer his enemies that's to do with coming in knowing he's forgiveness for us Jesus says to his disciples you no longer called my servants but you called my friends because you know what I am doing what a beautiful thing to be a friend of God that even more than a friend of God We are his children and we are brothers and sisters together.
With night guards family brothers and sisters look around the others in the room and see your immediate family. This is your immediate Christian church family.
How good it is to be with family family has some quirks and some idiosyncrasies. Inow family like all families. I have certain Customs don't they things that we do as a family? And families have Trikes and we stopped to see some of those traits throughout the generation was Lobby yesterday. We had time to say goodbye to the babies and someone who haven't seen that the babysitter while cuz they did not being as a family we lost his creation to five years. That's how long they ever Grace Church believe his oldest daughter instead of boy the believe he's Jean strong in her and sold at Family trait that she's just sending up tall and I'm looking a bit more like each other Aldi brothers and sisters. What's the family tried the way to say? I want to see more and more Jesus in one another way to say more and more. The reflection of God's work in US Paul talks about having our minds transform tomorrow morning to the likeness of Christ until I I love it when I see in you my sisters and brothers that traits of Christ. what joy and blessing that he's
He at the Grace Network as we seek to be the family of God and express his as a gospel shaped church. We have a number of values that we declare the values that we declare that we are Christ centered. That is all that we just by looking at the Bible and being shaped by what God changes us to his word. We didn't have that guy that we Are Holy Spirit empowered by the grace of God working in a suitcase. The way I able to leave out this way as he's people Can we seek to be shaped by the rice? That's the out working to be in Christ centered Bible by spirit-empowered. We have a Grace Community. So send me that he's christ-centered. We have a family shaped by what we learn in the Bible and a passage to die. Really. He's a passage about the shape of God's family and Community together what we are as the family of God and the family of God that gathers he and Kensington and particularly Kensington at 146 Kensington Road winner doesn't Matthews and particular is a gas. I hear some Matthews at 10:30. our immediate family together other parts of a family mix Vidalia Luther this passage together 8:30 family thought about extended family. Well, as you could this passage the first Pete's apart from that wonderful reminder that we're brothers and sisters again. You slightly awkward to me to be reading and talking about but actually very important to me to be reading and preaching about and very important for you to be hearing. and responding to What does it say look at it they in verse 12. We appeal to you brothers and sisters to respect those who labor among you and have charge of you in the Lord and admonished shoe the same them very highly in love because they work be at peace among yourselves. God's design for his church God's design for his family is that they will be leaders putting place to labor among you. I am here to lie. About to do my work. I'm I'm you and for you and also I do that. You have charge over you only have one load of that sound Lord and Savior Jesus Christ actually does amongst our servant leaders and we saw we had that fries servant leadership. I'm here as your servant to serve you and the Y that I serve you use by Leading you as a family so that we can honor God in all that we do.
as part of the Anglican Church We have leader set in place for Mele the custom all doing that to organization and Sorry by people being set upon dying as they come. As priests Bishops and I was thinking of putting a price as leadership within congregations and within parishes and so almost eleven years ago. I gathered he with the people of God. I was given that charge to be at your leader. And that responsibility and it's being my prayer that I would do this peacefully following Christ's example, and he's teaching. But I don't do it a lot. So I do at least tell her I also I said upon through ordination or life people like peoples of time that we using intro to people. I know dynalite peoples are regular people. If I call you, I don't want to come normal paper because that means I'm not normal and I really like to be normal place in my mind. And so it's it's the leader's way to Rhode Island or not who are set apart without sin. So I shared this with some old times ministers with Notch and shine and Sam and and and and Poland aerodyne minutes is amongst us who share that kind of miss you we shared with lightly. This is well as leaders. Apart of the leader said we should honor and respect as they lead us in God's word. We also have organizational leaders who help organization as a family together. We we call them a parish council is at Walden's and parish council members who helped and lead us in those wise pulses. Respect them as I live among you.
The focus on the show how good how the gospel. Kohl's us and shapes as people. And that we share this. Steven Broder the responsibility for us as a family is a shared responsibility together to family activity together. I look at this full train. We aren't you beloved to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint-hearted help the weak be patient with them all see that none of you reprise evil for evil but always seemed to do good to one another and to all you don't expect as you were listening to Paul you almost expect your brothers and sisters respect to all the latest you almost expect other side. Now you leaders admonish the idle is encouraged us to grasp is it goes back to the Beloved that is not allowed to brothers and sisters. To the family to us all the love that he says admonish the idle has cars to find hearted help the weight be patient with them all see that no longer plays Evil for the OIC to do go to one another and Tool.
It's expressed to a soul. So what are we allergic to do? where to get beside one another and help Get beside one another and help those who are the idlers ideas that use their For Those whom is a truant that they are the idlers. I'm sorry pause for referring to those believers who I'm sitting beside you your brothers and sisters were missing.
Not have you noticed some brothers and sisters are not he.
Do you know their names?
If you know that knives and who they are and I hope we do. Christmas happy run them That's what I've missed you at church. Love to see you there.
Why you find a hard to come? How can we help that because you notice a charge to the brothers and sisters? admonished the artist Remind me those who are members of the the small group that there are times when they're legitimate excuses not to be. be gentle with all his people there times when we have those who I'm with awesome on Sunday now Gathering because of Health and we should extend our love and actually go to that, you know possible visiting be gentle with them find that life and it's all too hot and too busy will pulse is admonish them. Give them a modern translation of the boot on the back side and spare them back on but do it in love and rice. But that's so maybe it's having a coffee with someone that you know disease find a hard time to have a meal together another couple of them friends from church as well. And so I'm having some others from church Iva, and I'd love you to come and go.
The poll gives that to us as a whole together.
likewise has his pen cartridges are those who are timid in their fights to find haunted by having struggles in face now have time to struggle without fighting my baby clothes radar intrapersonal difficulties, and they just find a heart and ask that question why God But maybe we got into it kind of just a bit of a hot. It's just it just seems so, you know, I was talking to someone else. And we just need that encouragement in that refreshment might be closed. That is something that's happened in our community. That really makes us question and we had a leadership crisis didn't lie. They coming through that is out church. We had a lady that let us down. I am not as her. And so we need to encourage to find coffee. To Spur one another on and do that. But maybe it's because it's it's what's happening when we see how Society look at some of the laws which is painful. Which just slapped us Christians in the face. But wait a hold for another Society wants to say we don't want to hear from you we go to hold firm. So pull says encourage the faint-hearted carriage one another be there for one another. Ask the question. How is your face going? One of the questions I love to ask people. I'm on the questions our love to be awesome on the questions. I'd encourage you to ask is to ask people. How could I pray for you this week?
How can I pray for you this week? What a great question to ask over a Cuppa. How can I type this way of coffee and we'll pry it actually face to face but also to know that there are those who remember us during the week in private it right blessing encourage the faint-hearted. How can I support you in your face?
Asking that with each other and share your fight stories. Share how God has been working to you because it's not so encouraging when we he have God's working. Someone else's life and we say yes, and I'm not your Spurs on.
Paul talks to my D beloved my brothers and sisters do this.
I mean someone is struggling in five to doing things which don't reflect a fight. When people go a bit askew.
It's just to be gentle with some never repay evil for evil. Let's never become holier-than-thou.
Is holier than thou used to condemn? Rob a bank to support and to encourage and to lift off. Let's be Godly sisters and godly Brothers together and give ourselves to each other. Apple reminds us not repaying evil for evil because that's the gospel is not because God did not repay evil for evil for us while we were still sinners Christ died for us and forgot.
It reminds us of Grace doesn't that this is God's grace for us. And therefore we are to show that Grice to one another be gentle with each other as God has been gentle with us. It's following example about older brother. How older brother whose name is Jesus?
Brothers and sisters. This is your responsibility and this is our responsibility together. A lot of the time that's done as remaining communities in it as we gather together as we support one another when we see our brothers and sisters when we come together as family, we're encouraged in a fight and so it's all the more important to be regular at church. Paul reminds us of the importance about corporate worship. We come out Sunday Gatherings that history. And tradition has cold what we do Church. I know I sound going to church really. I mean I'm done to mate with my brothers and sisters the church are all people who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and his old times. That's the church where an expression of the church. Yes. What we do when we got there on Sunday is that we are gathering we are assembling use the Biblical word that's used we gather together for worship. I know I'm not going to change that tradition because it's so ingrained in us, but I think it's one of the tradition that is unhelpful for us. I'm going to make my brothers and sisters to worship how great God and tell you he that we often talked about what are the instead of just congregations which is what we talked about at Gatherings Gatherings. Do you belong to that's why we use this language. We think it's mostly be cool and explains. What we doing about corporate worship pulling out about Gathering Together worshiping together. I look at verse 16. He says Rejoice always pray without ceasing give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the spirit. Do not despise the words of the prophets but test everything how fast is that what he's good at staying him every form of evil and then County verse 27. You also add. I solemnly command you by the Lord that this that'll be read to orgasm. Who's talking about a family time together? He's talking about a Gatherings what we do as we come together as brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ. and how she study says Rejoice always A service today was started with a call to worship the to Joy's nut. Come let us worship and bow down. There's kneel before the Lord. How often do we hear in the coals to rejoice in the Lord and to give thanks to call upon his name is kind of rejoicing as we come in together is God's family. We are giving thanks that God has called us to be his children and he's given us everything and doesn't let Josh reiff Talbot right? No matter what we've been going through no matter what the hardship he's no matter. What no matter what the other Joyce not like these we come together in a reminder to focus on all the joys in the blessings that we had in our gracious God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ rejoice in the Lord. It's almost at Cole to gather. That's why we start our service in song as a way of expressing that joy and rejoicing in the Lord. Are we blessed by those that lead us in that? What a great thing. I rejoice in the Lord.
knitting our hearts to him It's actually the clay.
Bugattis That way reminded off his greatness and I'll fight is encouraged as we declare the works of God what he has done is riced, isn't it? And as we worship a loving and forgiving father, our weaknesses are sings out troubles are recalibrated into the right perspective. It's important that we Rejoice for we remember. Bugattis he strength and he's price.
Then having told us to Rejoice. He tells us and calls us to pray together. Pray without ceasing don't give up on Fred. It's the lifeline of Hope. A corporate prayer is so important that brings a comment made before Gadot eclairs out trusting God it helps us to remember who God is and what God is doing as we pray. I need some time to get a corporate Lee As We Gather his family such a helpful in cuz it and widened a perspective. What a joy to die to be prying for things right across the world praying for those areas in the world which have troubles with a governments and not just you know that it's cold and wet but giving thanks for that Ryan and the next you prying for our brothers and sisters in the in the nation who are struggling still because of drought and bring him in mind at all what I do for a post me about you and so small-minded and got so self-focused. That's the benefit of corporate prayer where we actually are reminded that it's bigger than us. And God is great and good. I'm so thank you for those that lead us in our corporate praise who put that time and caring to think what's on the heart of the church and God and what things should we be mindful off. Thank you for that Ministry to ask your brothers and sisters.
And then which hole to have? The scriptures read English 27 Pokemons, at least let it be red. The public reading of scripture is so important because the public reading of scripture shapes who we are as family. We will know how we debate we got back to what God has revealed in his word. But in scripture we make the true and living God in scripture. We learned about his grace and love in scripture. We hear God's will for us in scripture. God speaks to his children.
And so we have the public reading of God's words. Encourage you to be reading a public or privately. But also to be he to hear a trade publicly together as a chive sauce as he's family. Anna Nicole talks about preaching he talks about the preaching or expanding of God's word to his children. He says verse 19 do not quench the spirit do not despise the woods of profits. He's talking about those profits. The gods were too babe personally in a life into this situation. What is God saying to me to die from his word elsewhere in the Old Testament prophets scripture uncapitalized because it's prophets. Hotel trade talks about some of the gifts of the Spirit that some had given that gift of Prophecy. That is the gift of bringing God's word to bear in our lives. We would use the language the gift of preaching.
The gift of preaching and Saturday the expanding of God's word as family gather together. East Walpole is signed to do it's one of the things we do as we gather as family. Any sustained quench the spirit that he's be open to the spirit. Sometimes the word is going to be that comes to me. Turn up mic in the Box. You got a trying something princess spirit inside someone else? Allow the spirit to say okay as David pride in the song reveal any we could mess with in May. Be open to the spirit, but knowing that we come to a gracious God that we can bring that to him and he will give us forgiveness in Christ and be encouraged by our brothers and sister said that we can grow in fights and peacefulness. As the word of God phase its fruit in ass. That's what we doing as a person. That's why if the spirit is pump nothing something to write it down. So we don't forget can be very helpful, but Polo, so says test at Disney He raised his tested not everything I say scripture. How do I get teens wrong and I apologize when I do? So that's why it's really important your bibles are open. Because how do we test it? We tested not about o does this Tickle My Fancy we tested against God's word. And so we are asking that question is this what God is saying he and elsewhere in his scriptures. And so we need to know about Bibles. We need to know the word of God so we can test those words hold fast to that which is truth. Be strengthened by that which is truth. Test but do not quench the spirit.
Prince preaching snow tomorrow to log what's on a one-way activity? I might give a monologue as I preach. Hi Shasha, do things to wake you up? But preaching is not just about my activities it because as I say to open the scriptures or whoever the preacher is open the scriptures, it's the spirit of God, which is going to take these Woods tp9sa suck me the spirit of God's involved. And we know that preaching isn't just frowned mind is not just to knowledge to cuz what the knowledge knowledge puffs up. But it's about the wisdom. It's about the heart. He's not with the teaching we go to Ring guide so that we can decide what he's got signed to open conversation that opens in a spirit with the spirit of Gods. That's how you going to be active in preaching. So as We Gather his family as brothers and sisters we rejoice in God's goodness. We bring our praise to him. We he he's would we listen to his spirit and we do these confident in his grace and Promises. Bus 23 says may we go to Pace himself sanctify you entirely and now your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blindness of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he would do this.
He does this and we gather together. We encourage one another and we do this why because we being prepared for when Jesus returns. Do we found spotless that is trusting in our sins being forgiven through the sacrifice of Jesus? But also sounded confident in a fight and ending the work that way doing that is the out looking all Val Feist. The Works that we do down in the name of Jesus and just as God is faithful he's called us to be faithful Saudi brothers and sisters admonish the idle is encourage the faint-hearted help the week. pink Wright brothers and sisters to one another
T brothers and sisters Rejoice always pray without ceasing give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the spirit. Do not despise the words of the prophets brothers and sisters be regular worship. And engage in our family worship. Saudi brothers and sisters remember that the one who calls you and God himself the father of our Lord Jesus Christ is faithful and he would do this.
So we pray.
Loving father. Thank you for making us your children. We thank you for our sisters and brothers who made we lost key at some Mets. Pull out your spirit upon us so that we can grow enough ice out service with one another and being proud to be your church, but we pray this in the name of Jesus. I mean