What do you See?

Heb 10:19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,

Heb 10:20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,

Heb 10:21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

Heb 10:22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Heb 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Heb 10:24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Heb 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Introduction

Last week Sue spoke to us about what we see and challenged us with the vast sweep of the glorious vision God has for the earth and then questioned our part in that- What do we do? Who should we be?

Sue and I want to communicate with one voice -God’s word to the Church- and so my question to you as Sue’s was last week. What do you see? What should you do? And who should you be?

Sue asked the question against the backdrop of the Word of God and His eternal purpose for you.

It was weird for me two weeks ago getting the very same question asked of me by God and His answer. Rather than a Bible can I ask you to open the rehearse the word for October and ask you to look at

Prophetic Word at Sunday morning Prayer 17 Oct

Change how you see. Adjust your vision and bring down the walls. Do not see houses, do not see closed doors and brick walls, but rather, in faith, see people at work, at rest, sleeping and awake. See them without the walls and open to the word and open to the love I have for them. As walk as you drive look not at closed doors but at people within.

I would point out to you that some very significant prophetic word and anointing has been present in these times of prayer and if you made a commitment to yourself to come to them. Don’t miss out on being a part of that just because your body screams for just another 10 minutes in bed.

God’s word to us to step forward to follow Him and to walk with Him, has been clear and changed many of us profoundly. The truth remains that God is still asking today the same question that He asked last week and calls us to apply it to the everyday real conversations, relationships and lifestyle that we have now.

It is our own view of people, that will tend to most powerfully influence our faith to see them within the kingdom of God. If we drive past impersonal brick walls with closed doors, and that is all we ever see; then our faith to see that person there and this person here in the kingdom of God will be seriously weakened.

We live in an age where people do not gather in the same way as they did when Jesus preached, but it does not mean we are free from His great Commission to go and make disciples.

The social gatherings of
The Pub
The Football match
The School Gate
The Boot fair
The great community celebrations of Christmas or Fireworks night or even Halloween.

You and I are faced with new and different challenges. We cannot make any assumptions. Rather we should seek God for new ways to live for Jesus.

I was telling the group at Steeple View last week about an American student who realised that her approach to her college mates about Jesus was based on the thought that these college friends had heard the gospel clearly at some point and had made a conscious decision not to accept the good news. Just as we might reject the offer of a dodgy loan or a free holiday we assume there has been a clear decision based on having heard the facts.

She then realised that

This was not the case and that almost all the people she met had not heard the good news of Jesus in a clear and consistent manner but may have some set of confusing notions from a variety of sources.

Her attitude of assuming that they had heard made her reluctant to challenge- to talk about Jesus, because she assumed that they would resent a challenge to their ‘choice’

The reality is that many have not made any choice at all- they choose not to choose in a world full of confusing choices.

I have chosen Jesus against the same background of choices that everyone I know faces. God has demonstrated His love to me. I am faced with the challenge to introduce that loving friend to those around me.

Now I know that this is just one of the challenges that we face when thinking about talking about our faith. Others might sound like this

I like my friendship as it is – I don’t intend to spoil a good relationship with unwelcome and badly timed talk of God.

I am embarrassed by it all. I just do not have the courage.

Of course the reality is that the devil does not want us to tell anyone about Jesus!!

God has drawn us together for purpose

That purpose is not that

We are a loving social gathering- But are not changed by that?
We are an extension of Social services into the community- But that this does not build life.
We become a successful venture a valued organisation, who’s opinions are sought on local and national issues. But we remain largely ignored and exploited.
We build a Big Church, But that Jesus is secondary tour bigness.
We have the most spectacular corporate worship But the Spirit is not present.

That purpose is that we

Glorify God- With our walk, our witness and our worship
Work with God to Build His Kingdom on the earth- through evangelism and a kingdom life full of the power of His Holy Spirit.
Welcome the most unlovely socially unacceptable sinners in our midst
Impact society for Good- Letting our ‘light so shine’
Disciple one another- with love and encouragement

3 or 30 or 300

If I ask you a question now.

How many people does God need to extend His Kingdom in the Steeple View area?

Is the answer 3 or 30 or 300?

All the evidence we have is that God builds with whatever and whoever is ready to work with Him. If it is 3 or 30 or 300.

So when we consider what God is doing. We are drawn to the conclusion that we need to co-operate with Him now.

We cannot wait for some future revival, when God might choose to act sovereignly. We are called to be His followers to go into our world and make disciples of all the nations, tribes or peoples around us.

Structures to free us

When I spoke two months ago about How God wanted to talk to us. This was also a profound and challenging Word to the Church . We agreed together that many of us needed structures in our lives to help us to pray. We have these in place through Church – Times to pray.

Similarly It is my conviction that we can be freed to reach those around us more effectively , if we have the support and encouragement of those around us. We can choose to be accountable, to ask other to pray with us, to work with us and to practically support us as we reach out to those around us.

This is exactly why we believe it has been important to organise the small groups as they are currently.

Times to pray together, seek God’s Word together for those around us. To share together and encourage one another with all that we see God doing with those around us.

Then also to help us to work together too, wherever this is possible and appropriate to see opportunities to act in cooperation in social gatherings, activities, meals together, events together that you put on or just attend, that build friendships with those around us.

Build the Friendships and let God do what we know He will do.

A Call to Persevere