Happy Reformation Day 2017

Happy Reformation Day (500^th Anniversary year)

As others are knocking on doors offering a “trick or treat?” we could remember how the courage and faith of Martin Luther, 500 years ago, caused him to nail his message to a door, changing the world.

I wonder if you knew that the 31^st of October is also, along with ‘Halloween’, Reformation Day.

It was on 31^st October 1517 that Martin Luther wrote his letter of ‘protest’ against the Catholic Church, which has become known as The 95 Theses.

In order to pay for the rebuilding St Peter's in Rome, The Pope used the practice of selling of 'indulgences'. Buying indulgences was about reducing the amount of time that you or one you loved, would spend in Purgatory. 

Indulgence sellers like Johann Tetzel with an entourage would go from place to place preaching and selling certificates of indulgence, even using such advertising jingles such as, 

"As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs."

Luther objected to such theological error and abuse of spiritual power. 

The Protestant Reformation also reflected the theological journey that Luther had made toward embracing salvation by faith alone.

Martin Luther and righteousness as a gift

We owe a huge debt to Martin Luther for making a stand and helping the church to embrace salvation by grace through faith alone.

After a thunderstorm in 1505 struck the fear of God into him, the young 21-year-old Martin Luther became a monk.

Luther became more and more fearful of God’s holy wrath. He was struck with impending judgement when he read texts like Romans 1:17, ‘For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”’ Luther initially understood these words as meaning that one had to become righteous in order to live the life of faith and thus be acceptable to God.

Luther remarked, "I hated that word, 'the righteousness of God,' by which I had been taught according to the custom and use of all teachers ... [that] God is righteous and punishes the unrighteous sinner."

Things changed whilst teaching on the Psalms and studying Romans during 1513-15:14, "At last meditating day and night, by the mercy of God, I ... began to understand that the righteousness of God is that through which the righteous live by a gift of God, namely by faith… Here I felt as if I were entirely born again and had entered paradise itself through the gates that had been flung open."

On the 31^st October 1517, Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg. The Thesis was copied, translated, and ‘modern’ printing technology spread the message and sparked the Protestant Reformation.

You too can know that you are accepted by God; not by your efforts of righteousness, but by putting your faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection for your sin, you obtain the gift of His (Jesus perfect) righteousness.

Maybe as others are knocking on doors offering a “trick or treat?” we could remember how the courage and faith of Martin Luther caused him to nail his message to a door. Let’s, like him, in a day of compromise, continue to protest for the truth of the gospel (Sole fide) and the authority of Scripture (sola scriptura).

Follow the link for a more in depth look at the Reformation: 

Overview of the Reformation by Ryan Reeves

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30/10/17 CORNERSTONE VISION SERIES WEEK 3 – UP (PART 1)

COMMUNITY GROUP/FAMILY AND DAILY STUDIES BASED UPON OUR VISION SERIES AT COMMUNITY CHURCH PUTNEY

You can listen to all the messages at 

Link to audio content

GROUP STUDY 3 – UP (PART 1)

THOSE BUILT ON CHRIST ARE PRIESTS AND TEMPLE

Your identity shapes you. What do you think you are created for? Career, power, pleasure, sex…? Your answer will shape your life. A Christian is created by God to worship Him.

WHAT IS WORSHIP?

‘Worship is all about reflecting the worth or value of God’ (Piper)

Anybody who has been joined to Jesus, having ‘tasted the lord’s goodness’, receiving a new heart and life by the Spirit, will become a priesthood and the Spirit’s temple – Christians are worshippers!

Let’s learn from Peter about worship:

• As we come to Jesus what do we become and for what purpose? (2:4-5)
• What does Peter say about our identity and purpose, and why is knowing this so vital? (2:5, 9-10)
• Who is a part of ‘God’s holy priesthood’?
• As priests, what is one of our major roles? (See 1 Pet 4:7; 1 Tim. 2:1-3)
• What are the dangers of creating a separate priesthood in the church?
• Peter says that we all offer ‘spiritual sacrifices’. This means:
1. They are from a person who is cleansed and born of the Spirit (Jn. 4:23)
2. What does Romans 12:1-2 say that spiritual worship is?
3. Peter 2:9 and Hebrews 13:15 say what about our worship?
4. What does Philippians 4:18 and Hebrews 13:16 teach about our use of wealth in regard to worship?

APPLICATION

LET’S LIVE OUT OF OUR IDENTITY AS PRIESTS AND TEMPLE

Spend some time in reflection and prayer. Are you living out your identity:

• Be built together ­– As a ‘living stone’ are you allowing God to build you into the local church?
• The spirit works as we meet – As the ‘Spirit’s house’ do you come to church or Community Group expecting to meet, and be used by Him?
• Live as a ‘holy priest’ – A Christian is a ‘holy priest’ which means to be set apart for God’s will. Are you seeking to serve God in all things? (Romans 12:1-2). As a priest are you devoted to prayer personally and with the church?

PERSONAL BIBLE STUDIES WEEK 3 – 1 PETER 1:22-2:6

MONDAY: LEARNING TO LOVE

1 Peter 1:22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.

1.  GC – Meditating and seeking to live out the truth of the gospel will, naturally, lead to Christ-like love. Let’s keep looking at the cross and living a Christ-like life.

2.    UP – It is worship to love. Doing the truth, not, knowing the truth, is worship!

3.    IN – Are your relationships marked by ‘sincere’ and ‘deep’ love? If we fail to meet together with our church family, we need to take this verse more seriously I think.

4.    OUT – Our relationships give authenticity to the gospel. (John 13:34-35)

TUESDAY: THE GOSPEL BRINGS EVERLASTING LIFE

1 Peter 1:23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

1.  GC – The message of the gospel – ‘Good news about salvation through Jesus’ is ‘living’! When believed, it has power, by the Spirit, to give regeneration – new birth

2.    UP – How often do we start the day by remembering and thanking God for new birth?

3.    IN – How could you use this verse to encourage a friend? 

4.    OUT – We can share the gospel, but let’s remain dependent upon the Holy Spirit – only He can give regeneration. The ‘word of God (gospel)’ is the means that the Holy Spirit uses to give regeneration – we must speak!

'Hope of ministry lies in the Spirit of God operating on the spirit of men.' Spurgeon

WEDNESDAY: CAST OFF FEAR AND CELEBRATE LIFE

1 Peter 1:24-25 For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.

1.  GC – The gospel’s (‘word that was preached’) regenerating work cannot die – you will never die. If we have believed in Jesus death and resurrection, we have everlasting life and restoration with God. (John 5:24)

2.    UP – How much does assurance of salvation feature in your worship? (Psalm 36:9)

3.    IN – Many fear death. Let’s be ready to use truth to help them. (Hebrews 2:14-15)

4.    OUT – This ‘word’ that was ‘preached’ – given by the Apostles, is the same gospel, centred on new life by the death of Christ, that we must communicate. (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

THURSDAY: LIVE WHAT THE GOSPEL HAS MADE YOU

1 Peter 2:1-3 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

1.  GC – Being Gospel-Centred is to live out of ones new identity.  This means that you ‘rid yourselves’ of certain things, and do new things that are in keeping with what the gospel has done in you. We are characterized as ‘newborn babies’ How is this new identity to affect what we do and what is the result?

2.  UP – Like a baby they are to crave God and His word. This is something they have already ‘tasted’ in the gospel. Use Psalm 42:1-2 as inspiration to worship.

3.  IN – Are there any attitudes and behaviour, harmful to building community that you need to ‘rid yourself of’? To love the church one must regularly put things off as God exposes them. This is done through prayer and filling ones mind with the truth; such as here, remembering our new birth and the Lord’s goodness.

4.  OUT – Passion overflows!  Those who know God’s goodness as a current experience will desire for others to know and love Him.

FRIDAY: BUILD ON JESUS AND HE WILL BUILD US TOGETHER

1 Peter 2:4-5 As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1.  GC – Jesus was ‘rejected’ and is now ‘living’ so that we could be become ‘living’.

2.  UP – Worship is ‘coming to Him’. Don’t let our worship be dependent upon styles of music, buildings, feeling… but make it all through and to Jesus.

3.  IN – As we build our lives on Jesus, He will give us a heart of loving devotion to the church so as to create a ‘spiritual house’, a community of worship.

4.  OUT – As a ‘priesthood’ are we making use of our privileges in prayer in order to pray for our friends and the world?

SATURDAY: TRUST IN HIM

1 Peter 2:6 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

1.  GC – We partake of all the promises of the gospel through faith – ‘trust’. Trust brings us into redemption and new life, but we need to remember the gospel daily to keep it fresh in our hearts.

2.  UP – How often do you express your trust in Jesus. Particularly when suffering, one needs to speak out trust. (Habakkuk 3:17-18)

3.  IN – Let’s seek God to help the church to build on the ‘chosen and precious cornerstone’. A great way is to ensure that He is this to you and become an example of devotion to those around you in the church.

4.  OUT – No ‘shame’. Those who trust in the ‘cornerstone’ will never be embarrassed by God. We need never fear that the gospel will turn out to have been an empty fable. It’s unbelievers who will be ‘put to shame’. Let’s be unashamed of Jesus. (Romans 1:16)

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22/10/17 CORNERSTONE VISION SERIES WEEK 2 – GOSPEL-CENTRED PART 2

COMMUNITY GROUP/FAMILY AND DAILY STUDIES BASED UPON OUR VISION SERIES AT COMMUNITY CHURCH PUTNEY

You can listen to all the messages at 

Link to audio content

GROUP STUDY 2 – GOSPEL CENTRED (PART 2)

THOSE BUILT ON THE ‘CORNERSTONE’ ARE GOSPEL–CENTRED

A person or church that seeks to build on Jesus will be gospel–centred. Last week we looked at one facet of the gospel, how the death of Jesus reconciles us to God and that such a community could be said to ‘have tasted that the Lord is good’. This week we will see that the gospel is more than something that God does for us in forgiveness; it is also something that God does in us in regeneration.  

THOSE BUILT ON CHRIST ARE LIVING STONES

Peter likens us to ‘living stone’ and ‘a spiritual house’ (2:5) or ‘new-born babies’ (2:2); Christians are not churchgoers or those trying to live a certain lifestyle… Christians, fundamentally, are made alive (regenerated) as the Spirit resides in them, with all the things that flow from God’s life within us. (Galatians 2:20)

Regeneration is to be made alive by the Spirit

Let’s see what Peter teaches us about the new life we have:

• What has Jesus’ death and resurrection given us (1:3)
• To what does Peter liken a Christian and why is this so apt? (2:2)
• We receive this new life by ‘coming to Him’ (2:4). What does it mean to come to Jesus? And why and how can we do this every day?
• What kind of ‘stones’ are we and how might this transform our lives? (2:5)
• What kind of ‘house’ are we now we are Christians? (2:5)
• Being ‘born again’ by the Spirit will affect how we live in every aspect. A Christian cannot go on sinning. What ‘war’ is now going on within us? (2:11). How has your lifestyle been affected since becoming a Christian?
• What does Peter assume of our lives now we are born again?  (2:12)
• What have we died to, and what do we live to? (2:24) (Healing in this context is about the supernatural healing of our hearts toward God)

APPLICATION – LET’S LIVE LIKE WE’RE ALIVE

• Have GC days – This week, start each day remembering God’s grace for you and in you. That you are justified and a new creation.
• Have GC obedience – Apply this identity as a ‘living stone’ when tempted to sin or when considering how you treat the church.

DAILY BIBLE DEVOTIONAL IN 1 PETER

MONDAY: GOD SERVES SO LET’S HAVE A HEART TO SERVE

1 Peter 1:12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

1.  GC – God has ‘served’ you through the Old Testament prophets who point to Jesus and through those who spoke the gospel to you. He has served you by revealing the truth of Christ to you, by grace, by ‘the Holy Spirit sent from heaven’.

2.    UP – Thank God for His service to you. Ask for the Holy Spirit to keep inspiring a heart of service in you.  

3.    IN – Pray that like the prophets and like the Spirit, you would be willing to be sent to serve His people in words, or in whatever way, to bring encouragement.

4.    OUT – The Spirit was prepared to be ‘sent’. The Spirit will do whatever is needed for God’s glory. He speaks through anyone that desires to ‘serve’ others.

TUESDAY: LET GOD BE LORD OF YOUR MIND

1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 

1.  GC – let’s hear this call to be ‘alert and fully sober’ so as to fill our minds with God’s grace for now and Jesus’ glorious coming. Let’s not be like those who are asleep and taken up distracted with irrelevancies so as to lose focus on the gospel.

2.    UP – Take a few moments to focus our minds Jesus’ Second Coming. Why is thinking so vital to your spiritual health?

3.    IN – Pray for the church to think properly, to think like ‘exiles’ (1:1) – like those in a foreign nation. We are waiting for the kingdom to come.

4.    OUT – Let’s have ‘minds that are alert and fully sober’. If we don’t think straight we will think crooked and forget that this world desperately needs Jesus.

WEDNESDAY: CHRISTIANS ARE OBEDIENT CHILDREN

1 Peter 1:14-16 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;  for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

1.  GC – By God’s grace we are made ‘obedient children’. Our faith in Christ has led to the transformation of our ‘desires’. The gospel changes our lives! (1 Thess. 1:4-6)

2.    UP – God desires our holiness. We are told ‘do not conform’ to our old lives. Rather we are to live a life of worship that conforms to God’s holiness. (Romans 12:1-2)

3.    IN – Pray for the church to grasp their call to be ‘obedient children’. Ask for God’s grace in the church more widely as she is under pressure to conform to the ‘pattern of this world’. (2 Peter 1:5-9)

4.  OUT – Holiness shows what God is like to others. This will be offensive to some and attractive to others. (2 Corinthians 2:15-16)

THURSDAY: GOD IS FATHER AND JUDGE

1 Peter 1:17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 

1.  GC – We ‘call on a Father’, but He remains a judge. We must never fear condemnation. Christ has taken that for us. (Romans 8:1)

2.  UP – We will face judgement. Christians will be rewarded according to how they have used the ‘talents’ He has given them. Let’s use our resources worshipfully. This world is not our home; our King has put us here to serve Him for His glory and our reward.

3.  IN – Too often the church is treated like a club for our convenience. We can miss both the joy of God as Father, and the responsibility that comes from Him as our judge.  Pray for the church to have a healthy view of God.

4.  OUT – Sometimes the church is indistinguishable from unbelievers. If God is our Father, we will be ‘in the world but not of it’. Our lives will be light in a darkness.

FRIDAY: REDEEMED BY GOD AND FOR GOD

1 Peter 1:18-20 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.

1.  GC – We have been ‘redeemed’ which means to ‘purchase someone’s freedom by paying a ransom’. We are no longer a slave of sin or face damnation; we no longer live as we use to because we have been ‘redeemed’. God is our new master, ‘the old has gone the new has come’, all purchased by the death of Jesus our substitute.

2.  UP – Use this text to inspire worship: God gave what is most precious in order to own you. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

3.  IN – Pray for the church to grasp their ‘redemption’ and turn from the ‘empty way of life handed down’ to them.

4.  OUT – Are you deeply convinced that your friends and family need redemption? Let God give you both urgency and confidence that God can and desires to save. 

SATURDAY: THE RESURRECTION

1 Peter 1:21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

1.  GC – Jesus has been ‘raised from the dead’. He is ‘glorified’. Let’s rest in the salvation that He has purchased for us. Let our ‘faith and hope’ rest fully in God for our salvation and for anything we desire to achieve for Him – The God of resurrection is with us!

2.  UP – Jesus has all authority. He is on the throne. Your redeemer lives. Let nothing dethrone God in your heart. (Job 19:20, Psalm 2:6)

3.  IN – The resurrection is the historical event that speaks of the truthfulness of Jesus’ words and work. Be ready to encourage your brothers and sisters with this.

3. OUT – Be ready to speak of the resurrection in witnessing for Christ. (Acts 2:32)

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