VISION SERIES PART. 5. BRINGING NON-BELIEVERS TO JESUS (27/10/19)

CONTENTS

1. Vision introduction

2. Come to Jesus Daily devotional

• Monday – “Come to me”
• Tuesday – Who’s invited? 
• Wednesday – Receive Jesus’ rest from guilt
• Thursday– Receive Jesus’ rest from legalism
• Friday– Receive Jesus’ rest from fear

3. Community Group/Family Study

For links to the message go to our website,

www.communitychurchputney.com

1. VISION SERIES INTRODUCTION

Whilst praying about this vision series I felt led to the gospel of Matthew. Matthew wrote because he wanted to bring people to Jesus - the promised Saviour. Matthew wrote,  

‘She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).’ (Matthew 1:21-23) 

God’s wants us to know that in Jesus, forgiveness and His presence are available to you, me, to anyone! This gospel ends with Jesus’ direction to take this Good News to the whole world, 

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:19-20) 

Jesus invites you, and through you, He wants to invite your friends to, “Come to me”. 

LET’S OWN THIS VISION TOGETHER

Vision is something that we need to ‘own’ together. Therefore, I encourage you to commit to three things: 

1. Make Sunday special by coming to church each week.
2. Get along to a Community Group so as to learn with others. 
3. Use the ‘Come to Jesus Daily’ devotionals each day. 

May we, like Matthew, respond to Jesus’ call, 

‘He saw Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.’ (Matthew 9:9)

Let’s whole-heartedly respond to Jesus’ invitation to “come to me”.

Matt Beaney September 2019

VISION AND GOALS AT CCP

Our vision at CCP is, Bringing people to Jesus - Myself, One-another, Non-believers. Two key texts have shaped this,

John 7:37-38 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

Matt.11:28-30“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Bringing people to Jesus is to share in God’s greatest ambition. This is a vision with eternal worth that invites us to give our lives for the worlds’ greatest need. 

HOW DO WE BRING PEOPLE TO JESUS?

Bringing people to Jesus involves three different relationships:

1. MYSELF

Goal to help me to bring myself to Jesus: I 'come to Jesus daily' by setting aside quality time daily in prayer and worship out of the bible (20 minutes, using the ‘coming to Jesus daily’ blog is a good start)

2. ONE-ANOTHER

Goal to help bring one-another to Jesus: Every member is in an amazing Community Group.

3. NON-BELIEVERS

Goal to help us to bring our non-believing friends to Jesus: Hospitality Week – on the first week of each month, we ‘invest and invite’ through 'Hospitality Week'.

2. COME TO JESUS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

One of our goals as a church is to, 

'Come to Jesus daily' by setting aside quality time daily in prayer and worship out of the bible (20 minutes, using the ‘coming to Jesus daily’ blog is a good start)’

Jesus promises rest for the weary and burdened (Matt. 11:28-30) and ‘living water’ (John 7:37-38) if we will come to Him. During our devotionals in this vision series, we will seek to learn from the Gospel of Matthew how, what it means, and what happens to those who come to Him. 

MONDAY – COME TO ME

Matthew 11:28–30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Read also John 7:37-38 

Do you see the radical nature of what Jesus is saying? Most religious teachers point to a god, a lifestyle, a philosophy, the universe… Jesus is the centre of His own message. For example, we read, 

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”  At once they left their nets and followed him. (Matthew 4:18-20)

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

In an age where exclusivity regarding religion is frowned on by many, Jesus is totally exclusive - He is the only Lord and Saviour! 

Only in Jesus can one find salvation and rest for the soul. 

RESPONSE

John bloom writes, ‘Unique to anyone else in human history, Jesus simply offers himself as the universal solution to all that burdens us.’

Have you fallen for the lie that salvation can be obtained apart from faith in Jesus - coming to Jesus? Do you confess that only He is God? 

Let’s not forget that as much as it is strong and exclusive to say that all must come to Jesus alone, it can be overlooked that to say that Jesus is not God…He’s not the only Saviour… all are saved no matter what they believe…there is no God anyway… all of these views are equally strong and exclusive!

TUESDAY – WHO’S INVITED?

Matthew 11:28–30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Read also John 7:37-38

Today I want us to see just who it is that Jesus is inviting to come to Him. Not everyone is invited, and it’s surprising to see who exactly the invitation is given to. It might have been expected that Jesus would have announced, “come to me…all the good…all the righteous…all who pray…” However, He invites those who know that they are lacking – ‘all you who are weary and burdened’ and ‘anyone who is thirsty ’ (John 7:37). Only those who are ‘weary and burdened’ can or will come to Jesus. To truly come to Him, we must come to the end of ourselves. 

We cannot come to Jesus with anything in our hands - my works, another Saviour, my pride. This is why Jesus speaks of the difficulty of the rich coming to Him for Salvation, 

“Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”  Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:23-26) 

It is hard for anyone to see there need of Jesus when they feel strong, secure and successful! Now, when we become weary and thirsty - when we realise our sinfulness, our condemnation, our weakness…then we are able to hear the invitation! 

RESPONSE

Have you heard Jesus’ invitation to come to Him? Are you still amazed that God would invite such as you to receive forgiveness, adoption, eternal life and His faithfulness every day? The content and regularity of our thankful worship reveals how much we have understood His grace to us. 

WEDNESDAY – RECEIVE JESUS’ REST FROM GUILT

Matthew 11:28–30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Read also John 7:37-38

The ‘weary and burdened’ and ‘thirsty’ are invited to come to Jesus for the promise of ‘rest for your souls’. This burden and thirst refers to a number of things including the burden of the guilt and penalty of our sin. 

The burden of sin’s penalty

Matthew Henry wrote, ‘All those, and those only, are invited to rest in Christ, that are sensible of sin as a burden, and groan under it’. When we come to realise that we have sinned (lived in ways that displease God) and that we face God’s perfect judgement, this becomes a great burden. 

In the Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, Christian flees the city of destruction carrying a burden on his shoulders. Bunyan writes, 

‘Now I saw in my dream, that the highway up which CHRISTIAN was to go was fenced on either side with a wall; and that wall was called “Salvation". Up this way, therefore, did burdened CHRISTIAN run; but not without great difficulty, because of the load on his back. He ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending; and upon that place stood a Cross, and a little below, in the bottom, a sepulchre. So I saw in my dream, that just as CHRISTIAN came up to the cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble; and so continued to do till it came to the mouth of the sepulchre, where it fell in, and I saw it no more. Then was CHRISTIAN glad and lightsome, and said, with a merry heart,"He hath given me rest by his sorrow, And life by his death.

Then he stood still awhile to look and wonder; for it was very surprising to him, that the sight of the cross should thus ease him of his burden. He looked therefore, and looked again, even till the springs that were in his head sent the waters down his cheeks…’

One of the primary works of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of our sin. Jesus wrote,

‘When he comes, he will prove (convict) the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned’ (John 16:8-11). 

One of the evidences that God is at work in a non-believer’s life is a sense of guilt. This is a ‘burden’ and ‘thirst’ that can only be satiated by Jesus who has died for our sin. 

RESPONSE

Are you weary with the burden or your sin? Do you dislike aspects of how you live and think? Are you ashamed of your past? If so, have you given your burden to Jesus? If you have, why are you still carrying a burden that He has taken?

Hear, again, Jesus invitation to a life that is free from the burden of guilt, ” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.” (Revelation 22:17)

THURSDAY – RECEIVE JESUS’ REST FROM LEGALISM

Matthew 11:28–30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Read also John 7:37-38

Yesterday, we saw that Jesus has taken the burden of the guilt of our sin. We no longer have to carry the past around with us. But, too often, like the proverbial dog that returns to its vomit, we put ourselves back under the burden of guilt. 

What is legalism

There are, in essence, two approaches to getting rid of the guilt of wrong-doing (sin): firstly, there is the legalistic approach; this involves keeping the rules by our own efforts in order to earn salvation, this is self-salvation or self-righteousness. Secondly, there is Jesus’ method of salvation, summarised by the word ‘grace’ (a free gift) and so beautifully summarised in today’s texts. 

Stop striving and receive Jesus’ gift of righteousness

Just look at the condition that Jesus gives for His rest - we simply need to ‘come to Him’, that means to put our faith in Him for salvation. Paul wrote about the difference between legalism and grace, 

‘Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down)  “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).  But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim:  If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.’ (Romans 10:5)

Paul describes legalism as seeking to be ‘the person who does these things’ - that is seeking to achieve righteousness through obedience. However, grace does not seek to ‘ascend’ or ‘descend’ - that is to strive to achieve righteousness through strenuous effort, which, is dishonouring to Jesus and the gospel. We don’t have to climb mountains or plumb depths, we have one who has done that for us on the cross. We can rest in the work of Jesus! 

RESPONSE

Are you at rest? When was the last time that you spent a serious amount of time thanking God for His grace in Jesus? Why not make a date with yourself and God when you will sing and celebrate the rest that you have because of Jesus? 

FRIDAY – RECEIVE JESUS’ REST FROM FEAR

Matthew 11:27–30 All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.  Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Read also John 7:37-38

Jesus is over of all things and He is for us

Jesus says something extraordinary when He says, “All things have been committed to me by my Father…” We will only have rest if we understand that Jesus rules over all things and that He is for us, and in this text we have both ideas. Jesus wants you to know that He has ‘revealed’ the Father to you- you are a Christian by the working of His grace – He is for you! And He wants you to know that He rules all things - He will never let you go or let you down. Paul says something similar in Ephesians, 

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,  which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:22-23)

Jesus is ‘head over everything for the church…His body’. Jesus is Lord over creation, but He serves us, His people, who are His body. 

RESPONSE

The burdens of fear, impatience disappointment are regular visitors to our hearts. The antidote is to ‘come to Jesus’. But, let’s remember that coming to Jesus involves ‘take my yoke…and learn from me’ - listening and applying what He says – and He says He is Lord and that He loves us! What is burdening you at the moment? Have you come to Jesus in prayer? Whilst praying are you trusting that He has the power to do the impossible? Whilst praying are you comforted knowing that He is concerned about your life? Whist waiting for an answer are you believing that He is Lord? 

3. COMMUNITY GROUP/FAMILY STUDY

BRINGING NON-BELIEVERS TO JESUS. PT. 1

Let’s begin by reminding ourselves of our vision which is… BRINGING PEOPLE TO JESUS.  We do this in three relationships: Myself, One-another and Non-believers. It’s on our relationship with non-believers that we will be focusing on this and next week. 

Our Goal to help us to bring our non-believing friends to Jesus: Hospitality Week – on the first week of each month, we ‘invest and invite’ through 'Hospitality Week'.

In John 7:37-38, one of the key texts that has shaped our vision, we see that anyone or church that truly comes to Jesus, who is filled with the life of the Spirit, will see the Spirit’s work overflowing into the communities around them. The key to evangelistic compassion, courage, effectiveness…it meeting with Jesus and being filled with the Spirit. Today, we will see this process in the life of Philip. 

Please read John 1:43-51

Philip had been called by Jesus to ‘follow me’. Immediately, after meeting Jesus, Phillip, someone who is not an extraordinarily gifted evangelist, seeks to bring his friend Nathaniel to Jesus also.  

Discuss together:

• What does a true meeting with Jesus (or the Spirit) always lead to? (See Matthew 4:19). 
• What does this episode teach us about the importance of investing in non-believing friendships?
• Philip said, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Would this phrase make sense to your non-believing friends? What words would you use to try to bring people to Jesus? 
• Verses 48-49 speak of Jesus’ power and involvement in our evangelism. How does knowing Jesus is sovereign in all our conversations and interactions with people help us to"bring people to Jesus”?
• Who are your Nathaniel’s? Who are you investing in through prayer and time spent time with them? 
• Hospitality Week is coming up on 4th November - what do you plan to do with your friends? 

Read More

VISION SERIES PART 4 - COME TO ME...TOGETHER (PT. 2. 20/10/19)

CONTENTS

1. Vision introduction

2. Come to Jesus Daily devotional

• Monday – “Come to me”… I desire mercy
• Tuesday – “Come to me”… For new wine
• Wednesday– “Come to me”… Proclaim the Kingdom
• Thursday– “Come to me”… Become fruitful
• Friday– “Come to me”… Don’t be offended 

3. Community Group/Family Study

For links to the message go to our website,

www.communitychurchputney.com

1. VISION SERIES INTRODUCTION

Whilst praying about this vision series I felt led to the gospel of Matthew. Matthew wrote because he wanted to bring people to Jesus - the promised Saviour. Matthew wrote,  

‘She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).’ (Matthew 1:21-23) 

God’s wants us to know that in Jesus, forgiveness and His presence are available to you, me, to anyone! This gospel ends with Jesus’ direction to take this Good News to the whole world, 

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:19-20) 

Jesus invites you, and through you, He wants to invite your friends to, “Come to me”. 

LET’S OWN THIS VISION TOGETHER

Vision is something that we need to ‘own’ together. Therefore, I encourage you to commit to three things: 

1. Make Sunday special by coming to church each week.
2. Get along to a Community Group so as to learn with others. 
3. Use the ‘Come to Jesus Daily’ devotionals each day. 

May we, like Matthew, respond to Jesus’ call, 

‘He saw Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.’ (Matthew 9:9)

Let’s whole-heartedly respond to Jesus’ invitation to “come to me”.

Matt Beaney September 2019

VISION AND GOALS AT CCP

Our vision at CCP is, Bringing people to Jesus - Myself, One-another, Non-believers. Two key texts have shaped this,

John 7:37-38 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

Matt.11:28-30“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Bringing people to Jesus is to share in God’s greatest ambition. This is a vision with eternal worth that invites us to give our lives for the worlds’ greatest need. 

HOW DO WE BRING PEOPLE TO JESUS?

Bringing people to Jesus involves three different relationships:

1. MYSELF

Goal to help me to bring myself to Jesus: I 'come to Jesus daily' by setting aside quality time daily in prayer and worship out of the bible (20 minutes, using the ‘coming to Jesus daily’ blog is a good start)

2. ONE-ANOTHER

Goal to help bring one-another to Jesus: Every member is in an amazing Community Group.

3. NON-BELIEVERS

Goal to help us to bring our non-believing friends to Jesus: Hospitality Week – on the first week of each month, we ‘invest and invite’ through 'Hospitality Week'.

2. COME TO JESUS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

One of our goals as a church is to, 

'Come to Jesus daily' by setting aside quality time daily in prayer and worship out of the bible (20 minutes, using the ‘coming to Jesus daily’ blog is a good start)’

Jesus promises rest for the weary and burdened (Matt. 11:28-30) and ‘living water’ (John 7:37-38) if we will come to Him. During our devotionals in this vision series, we will seek to learn from the Gospel of Matthew how, what it means, and what happens to those who come to Him. 

MONDAY – COME TO ME…I DESIRE MERCY

Read and meditate on Matthew 9:1-12

Here we have the salvation of two very different people and these accounts should test our attitude to different sorts of people. 

Jesus saves the suffering

In the first account, we read ‘Some men brought to him a paralysed man, lying on a mat.’ This act is inspired by faith, it says ‘When Jesus saw their faith’. Those who do the carrying, and the one being brought to Jesus reveal their faith by their actions. 

Initially, their faith is in Jesus as a healer, however, as anyone who genuinely comes to Jesus will find, He reveals himself as God the Saviour. 

Jesus deity is revealed in His forgiving his sin. Jesus doesn’t begin by healing but by forgiving; Jesus responds to their coming to Him with, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” For this, Jesus is accused of ‘blasphemy’ - misrepresenting God, which, of course, He would be if He were not God! No mere man can forgive sin! Sin is a failure to live for God as He deserves; it is God who has been offended and so it’s only God who can forgive those who have sinned against Him. In this account, Jesus reveals that He is God in the flesh, in the world. The one who has been sinned against has come into the world to offer forgiveness to any who will come to Him in faith. 

Jesus also saves the ‘strong’

The second account is of the salvation of Matthew the tax collector. This is set in contrast to the previous account. Here, no friends are involved in bringing him, it’s Jesus who comes to Him. Matthew, unlike the paralysed man, elicits no compassion from us - He is a despised, wealthy, tax collector who lives off of the work of others (he probably collects taxes for Herod Antipas, on goods that cross the border into his territory). Even Jesus reveals the popular attitude when He says, “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?” (Matt. 5:46). However, Jesus comes to Him and calls Him, “Follow me”. 

Does Jesus offend us?

Jesus offended people. If you were poor and abused by the wealthy, He offended you by calling wealthy abusers; if you were successful, be it materially or as a spiritual leader, he offended you as he called those you might see as failures. Our offence at the sorts of people that become Christians reveals our legalism - a belief that good people (as we define them) deserve salvation. 

Jesus responds to those who are offended by His mercy, ‘On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” 

Only sinners (the ‘sick’) are called to follow Jesus because they are the only kinds of people that exist. To follow Jesus requires that we recognise Him as Lord and Saviour, that we recognise that we are sinners in need of forgiveness, and that we leave our sin (repent) and follow Him; After all, we come to a ‘doctor’ for healing and we would be greatly disturbed if they simply told us to embrace and live with our sickness!

RESPONSE

Who are we most offended by? A good test is to look at one’s friends - who have you gathered to and who have you excluded?

Jesus challenges the judgemental, and maybe you and I, with the words of Hosea 6:6, “go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” In Hosea’s day, God’s people continued to worship - that’s sacrifice – whilst failing to show ‘mercy’ (Hesed - steadfast love); worship is important, but worship without love for people is empty. No-one who comes to Jesus, who worships Him, will be left with a cold heart toward others who need God’s love and healing no matter what their background. 

TUESDAY – “COME TO ME”….FOR NEW WINE

Please read and meditate on Matthew 9:14-17

Oftentimes people want Jesus to serve them. They say, “I believe this…I live this way…I feel this…my tradition is….and Jesus (and Christianity) will have to conform to me.”

This account is about people doing just that, they come to Him concerned that He is not ‘towing the line’ - not doing things as they see fit. Jesus responds with a short parable, 

“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

In other words, Jesus is saying, “I’ve not come to join you in teaching your religion; I’ve come to bring in a new era regarding how to know and live for God”. 

Patch-up religion

Too often we attempt what I’m calling ‘patch-up religion’. This is taking our existing beliefs and add a ‘bit of Jesus’ in some way to try to make it work better. However, Jesus, radically, teaches that the ‘old garment’ cannot be fixed - implying that it needs to be disposed of; Jesus teaches that He gives ‘new wine’ that is to be poured into ‘new wineskins’, again, implying that our old approach to religion needs to be thrown out. Jesus doesn’t do a patch–up job, He is not a restorer, He is a destroyer of the old and giver of a new approach to knowing God. 

Examples of patch-up religion

Here are a few examples that are attempting to add Jesus to their existing faith: 

i) Jesus added to Judaism –  The people in our text, John’s disciples and the religious teachers, were saying - “Let’s work really hard to obey the Law, add additional works such as fasts, so as to warrant God’s blessing on the nation.” 

ii) “Jesus commands my hard work – I want things to change so I’ll fast, pray, do religious duties to earn God’s love and favour…” - that is legalism, that’s patch-up religion.” 

iii) “I think that Jesus was a good guy –  I’m an atheist or agnostic, I’m not sure, but I think Jesus was a good guy. Of course, I don’t think I believe in God but a bit more kindness and some emotion-creating rituals are a good thing…” This is ‘patch-up’ religion - it’s refusing to listen to what Jesus actually said but is ‘patching’ him onto your chosen framework.

iv) “Jesus is my great example – This world needs improving and Jesus is the greatest example of love. Let’s all, look at the cross, let’s live sacrificially, let’s make the world a better place…” This is ‘patch-up’ religion - it won’t work and it’s not what the bible teaches. 

v) “I don’t feel that Jesus judges - Look at the cross, look at his acceptance of everyone. Jesus shows us that God will never judge anyone. God forgives all not matter what they believe…” - this is a ‘patch-up’, it’s adding a simplistic reading of the gospels to one’s desired belief that all religions are equally important and equally redundant! 

v) “It doesn’t matter how I live – Following Jesus doesn’t mean seeking a righteous life. I can sin as much as I want. I can be as committed as I want to be.” Contrary to this our text tells us that although the old wineskin is thrown out, there is a new wineskin and new wine. This speaks of Christianity having content that one must learn to understand and obey. 

RESPONSE - THROW OUT THE OLD, EMBRACE THE NEW

What is the new wine in new wineskins? To enjoy the ‘new wine and wineskins’ includes at least these two things:

i) The ‘new wine’ of justification by faith alone – Do you know that no-one is saved by fasting and legalistic efforts. No! One is saved by faith in Jesus’ atoning death. Are you enjoying this freedom?

ii) The ‘new wine’ of the Spirit – In essence this is a reference to the New Covenant in which through Jesus blood we are justified and receive New birth by the Holy Spirit. Subsequently, the Christian life is lived in dependence upon the Holy Spirit. Do you know that you have been born again by the Spirit? Are you seeking to be filled with His empowering presence each day?

Let’s not settle for patch-up religion. Have you thrown out your old religion and philosophy in exchange for coming to learn from Jesus? Are you relying completely on Jesus for forgiveness and transformation by the Spirit? Our old beliefs or false worldly beliefs often infect our thinking, therefore, let’s study God’s word so as to live in the good things that are ours in Jesus. 

WEDNESDAY – “COME TO ME”…PROCLAIM THE KINGDOM

Please read and meditate on Matthew 9:35-10:7

The good news of the kingdom 

Jesus’ ministry is summarised as ‘teaching … proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. ’. Beginning with the same summary in 4:23, this is exactly what we have seen on every page of this gospel. Jesus – and his disciples beginning in chapter 10 – proclaimed and demonstrated the Kingdom. To proclaim the kingdom means, firstly, to call people to Jesus - to receive Him as their king; secondly, to proclaim the Kingdom is to teach and ready people for the future coming of the Kingdom when there will be judgement and the restoration of creation; healings were, and are, a demonstration of the ‘healing’ of the cosmos that will happen at Jesus’ coming. People are invited to enter Jesus’ Kingdom now and in preparation for the fullness of its coming. 

Jesus’ compassion on the crowds

Jesus was motivated by compassion. He sees the crowds as, “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” He is burdened for the welfare of people, and this burden drove him to pray for the sick, teach them how to live, get ready for the ‘kingdom coming’ (His return), and, ultimately, it was His love that caused Him to leave heaven and go to the cross. 

Jesus wants His disciples to share His love for non-believers, and He links prayer to growth in such love. He asks them, ‘Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers’. Jesus knew that if we ask for workers, the Spirit will put Jesus-like compassion in people for those outside of the church. 

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few

Jesus told His disciples that “The harvest is plentiful”. This means two things:

Firstly, it means that there are many who are ready to hear and respond to Jesus. God has chosen many and they will respond if we will go! (See John 4:35-39)

Secondly, I believe that Jesus is also referring to the ‘harvest of final judgement’, when all people will be judged. Such judgement is often called a harvest (See Matt. 3:10, 13:30, 13:39). Jesus sees these lost sheep as ‘ripe for judgment’ and in danger of hell; their spiritual leaders are not prepared to bring them to Him, and so He asks His disciples to pray for workers. 

What authority do we have? 

Jesus had authority over sickness and demonic oppression. However, in chapter 10 we read, ‘Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.’ What does this mean for us? Do all Christians have such awesome authority? Well, if we’re honest, our experience - mixed at best in my case anyway! – leads me to conclude that I don’t have such authority. Now, before you tell me to just have faith and walk in my authority, or something like that, let’s think about this text a bit more. Here are a few points:

• We are not taught anywhere beyond the gospels that all Christians need to ‘grasp by faith’ their authority. 
• The epistles point to certain people, because of the gifting of the Spirit, in whom ‘miracles, signs and wonders’ work more prominently rather than being a blanket enabling. 
• However, one could argue that Jesus does seem to make such a blanket promise when He says, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (Jn. 14:12). However, it’s simplistic and frustrating to say that the reason why every Christian is not ‘raising the dead, feeding five-thousand, walking on water…’ is because they simply are not grasping their authority! and, I’ve never met such an ‘encourager’ whose life lives up to this billing! Surely, this promise is for the church - His body. Jesus’ ascent to heaven, the pouring out of His Spirit, has multiplied the scale of His ministry as His church works, empowered by the Spirit, throughout the earth. 

In conclusion, It’s as His body, working in concert, that we have authority to do the works of Jesus. It’s as the church uses the range of gifts given by the Spirit that we, like Christ will, proclaim and demonstrate the kingdom. 

RESPONSE

Ask for workers. Pray for God to raise up people who have compassion and will step out in word and deed in order to bring people to Jesus before His coming and final judgment. Jesus has commissioned His church to preach the gospel; God promises to empower us with the Spirit so as to be witnesses; Jesus has promised the gifts of the Holy Spirit so as to be a mature body and to continue doing ‘Jesus’ works’. Let’s pray for God to give all of us faith-filled and willing hearts. 

THURSDAY – “COME TO ME”…BECOME FRUITFUL

Read and meditate on Matthew 13:1-23

The focus of this parable is not the identity of the sower (although it does encourage us to be sowers), its focus is on the four types of soil. We are to ask the questions: Which soil am I most like, which soil do I most want to be, which do I least want to be and how do I need to respond?” 

The three soils types are:

1. Those who don’t try to understand the gospel 

The path, where the birds ate up the seed. Such people can’t be bothered or won’t make any sacrifice to explore the claims of Jesus. 

RESPONSE – Now, this can be those who are outside the church; however, this can be applied to many ‘church-goers’ who couldn’t tell you the gospel and are too lazy or distracted to learn anything from God - Are you allowing the seeds of truth that you learn to be stolen through complacency? 

2. Those who refuse persecution for the gospel

This soul is rocky, the seed did not have enough soil for healthy growth. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Persecution is likened to the hot sun. Someone once said, “The same sun that melts ice, hardens clay.” The sun of persecution will cause a Christian to stand and grow, whilst those who are not, in the same ‘sun’, their confession of Jesus will wither away. 

RESPONSE – Are you and I prepared to suffer for the gospel? If we won’t expose what we believe to the sun, has it already withered? We keep our soil healthy by purposefully sharing the gospel with people as the opportunity arises. 

3. The worriers and lovers of wealth who won’t trust the gospel

This soil is infested with thorns, which grew up and choked the seed. These thorns are defined as ‘worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful’. Many of us have friends who were passionate for Jesus only to allow worry and the seeking financial security, status or pleasures to turn them into a shadow of their former selves. 

RESPONSE – We are all prone to fear and trusting in money! A sure antidote is to build trust in Jesus through prayer and giving money away - financial generosity skills making money an idol. 

4. Good soil – Those who hear the gospel with understanding

This is the  Good soil. This parable contains warning and promise. A promise that there will be different kinds of responses as we share the gospel message; we are assured of fruitfulness if we will keep sowing! However, this parable is also, and is principally, a warning to take care that we hear well; we are to take care lest we become like the path or the fruitless soils. 

RESPONSE – Are you seeking to be good soil? How would you know? Well, a simple test is to ask, “Am I living for Jesus today in a more trusting and open way that I did yesterday?”

FRIDAY – “COME TO ME”…DON’T BE OFFENDED

Please read and meditate on Matthew 13:53-58

Coming to His hometown…They were amazed.

Matthew records what happens when Jesus comes to his hometown of Nazareth. He begins to teach in the synagogue that he probably went to whilst growing up - He’s like a visiting speaker at the church he grew up in. 

Let’s remember that the citizens of Nazareth would have known Jesus very well. Based upon archeological study, Nazareth had no more than 500 residence. Jesus had grown up and probably worked as a carpenter among them until He was around 34 years old. During that time there are no records of anything happening that would have marked Jesus out as anything special. Therefore, Initially, their reaction is very positive, we read,  ‘they were amazed. Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?”’ This is like the local boy or girl whom no-one knows can sing, suddenly hitting the big-time. “Wow,” those in the town say, “We didn’t see that coming!” That’s a good place to end the film, however, it doesn’t end on a high! I’m reminded of the song by the Eagles, ‘A new kid in town’. 

“There's talk on the street; it sounds so familiar.

Great expectations, everybody's watching you.

People you meet, they all seem to know you.

Even your old friends treat you like you're something new.

Johnny come lately, the new kid in town.

Everybody loves you, so don't let them down.”

Jesus, initially is treated like the ‘new kid in town’, He’s the ‘local kid who has found fame returning’ and, as is often the case, this can provide an excitement, but it’s not lasting. These people are the the fruitless soils that we saw in yesterday’s devotional.  

Where then did this man get all these things? They took offence

As is often the case, those we worship we often end up demonising – just look at the meteoric rise and fall of most celebrities; today she’s got the right look, dress, views, lifestyle… tomorrow they want to photograph her drunk and in a ditch!

After their initial positive reaction, they begin to recall Jesus’ humble background: He has no special ‘breeding’, He’s not been to the right schools, they know His family and they are just like them… This must mean, they conclude, that He is not to be trusted, maybe his ‘wisdom and powers’ are from the devil (this is not said but is surely implied) in the words, ‘And they took offence at him.’ 

‘Offence’ (skandalizó) means to be snared and stumble. They would not receive and honour Jesus based upon the evidence of his life; they were ’snared and tripped’ by their false expectations of the kind of package that God must come in. 

Prophet without honour

Jesus responds to their judgment saying, “A prophet is not without honour except in his own town and in his own home.” It was true then and it is true today – those closest to us can fail to see us; they fail to see one’s gifts and character, and success is often threatening and is to be sneered at. Well, if that’s your experience, you are in good company. Jesus (and many prophets in the bible) were rejected. Jesus warns us that this will be our experience, 

“The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!” (Matt. 10:24-25). 

He did not do many miracles

Again, as we saw when we considered chapter 8, faith plays a huge part in our experience of healing and doing the works of Jesus in general. In essence, if we don’t believe that Jesus can heal, we won’t pray and won’t see healing. 

RESPONSE

Are we offended by Jesus? “no, of course not” I hear you say. However, let’s not be so quick to acquit ourselves. Here are a few questions to consider,

• Do you worship Jesus as Lord, God and Saviour? If you put any saviour, god or philosophy alongside Jesus, you have been offended by Him. 
• Are we open to talking about who Jesus is in our home and hometown or are we embarrassed by Him? 
• Do we judge Jesus - get angry with Him - for acting in ways that seem too normal? What I mean by this is, Jesus grew up in an everyday fashion and, whilst we should desire miracles and seasons of greater action, are we prepared to worship and be faithful in the day-in-day-out nature of life? 
• Do you have faith that Jesus is God Almighty? Do you believe that He is (and remains heaven) as fully God and fully man? Do you trust that He can heal and is this expressed in your praying for sick people? 

3. COMMUNITY GROUP/FAMILY STUDY

COME TO ME…TOGETHER PT. 2

Let’s begin by reminding ourselves of our vision which is… BRINGING PEOPLE TO JESUS.  We do this in three relationships: Myself, One-another and Non-believers.  

Please read Matthew  8:23-27

Let's continue to use this episode in the boat to teach us. This story compliments us of our vision very well – each was called to follow Jesus into the boat (Myself); they join Him with others (one-another); they were going over the lake to minister (non-believers). This week we continue focussing on bringing ‘one-another’ to Jesus. 

Discuss together:

• How does Jesus encourage them in the storm? 
• None of the others took a lead to impart faith, why was this? 
• Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 and Romans 12:5-8. Jesus continues to encourage His church through the various gifts that He gives to us. How does serving on a team and being in a Community Group help us to discover, grow and use our gifts?
• A spiritual gift is anything you say or do that channels the Holy Spirit’s work. There are 3 main categories of gifts: 1. Word gifts- Using words that channel the Spirit’s work. 2. Service gifts - Acts of service that channel the Spirit’s work 3. Miracle gifts - healing, calming storms etc. Whilst seeking to serve in all three areas, we will discover our primary gifts. What will you do in order to grow in each of these 3 areas? 

Notice - A vital part of being together is giving to the work of the church. On Sunday we encouraged the church to pray about giving or increasing their giving to the General and Building Funds. For details, please collect an envelope on Sunday or contact the office. 

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VISION SERIES PART 3 - COME TO ME...TOGETHER (13/10/19)

CONTENTS

1. Vision introduction

2. Come to Jesus Daily devotional

MONDAY – “Come to me”… Bring your needs to the one who can help

TUESDAY – “COME TO ME” … This means leaving everything

WEDNESDAY– “COME TO ME”… He will teach you through storms

THURSDAY– “COME TO ME”… He will teach you to trust

FRIDAY – “COME TO ME” … He will grow your vision and worship

3. Community Group/Family Study

For links to the message go to our website,

www.communitychurchputney.com

1. VISION SERIES INTRODUCTION

Whilst praying about this vision series I felt led to the gospel of Matthew. Matthew wrote because he wanted to bring people to Jesus - the promised Saviour. Matthew wrote,  

‘She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).’ (Matthew 1:21-23) 

God’s wants us to know that in Jesus, forgiveness and His presence are available to you, me, to anyone! This gospel ends with Jesus’ direction to take this Good News to the whole world, 

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:19-20) 

Jesus invites you, and through you, He wants to invite your friends to, “Come to me”. 

LET’S OWN THIS VISION TOGETHER

Vision is something that we need to ‘own’ together. Therefore, I encourage you to commit to three things: 

1. Make Sunday special by coming to church each week.

2. Get along to a Community Group so as to learn with others. 

3. Use the ‘Come to Jesus Daily’ devotionals each day. 

May we, like Matthew, respond to Jesus’ call to “follow me”,

‘As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.’ (Matthew 9:9)

Let’s whole-heartedly respond to Jesus’ invitation to “come to me”.

Matt Beaney September 2019

VISION AND GOALS AT CCP

Our vision at CCP is, Bringing people to Jesus - Myself, One-another, Non-believers. Two key texts have shaped this,

John 7:37-38 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

Matt.11:28-30“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Bringing people to Jesus is to share in God’s greatest ambition. This is a vision with eternal worth that invites us to give our lives for the worlds’ greatest need. 

HOW DO WE BRING PEOPLE TO JESUS?

Bringing people to Jesus involves three different relationships:

1. MYSELF

Goal to help me to bring myself to Jesus: I 'come to Jesus daily' by setting aside quality time daily in prayer and worship out of the bible (20 minutes, using the ‘coming to Jesus daily’ blog is a good start)

2. ONE-ANOTHER

Goal to help bring one-another to Jesus: Every member is in an amazing Community Group.

3. NON-BELIEVERS

Goal to help us to bring our non-believing friends to Jesus: Hospitality Week – on the first week of each month, we ‘invest and invite’ through 'Hospitality Week'.

2. COME TO JESUS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 

One of our goals as a church is to, 

'Come to Jesus daily' by setting aside quality time daily in prayer and worship out of the bible (20 minutes, using the ‘coming to Jesus daily’ blog is a good start)’

Jesus promises rest for the weary and burdened (Matt. 11:28-30) and ‘living water’ (John 7:37-38) if we will come to Him. During our devotionals in this vision series, we will seek to learn from the Gospel of Matthew how, what it means, and what happens to those who come to Him. 

MONDAY– “COME TO ME”…BRING YOUR NEEDS TO THE ONE WHO CAN HELP

Today, we will be covering quite a lot. In Matthew 8:1-17, we have 3 accounts of people coming to Jesus. Let’s look at and learn from each meeting with Jesus. 

1. Healing of a man with leprosy

Read and meditate on Matthew 8:1-4

In 8:2 we read, ’A man with leprosy came and knelt before him…’

Immediately after coming down from teaching on the mountain, Jesus heals a man with leprosy. Such a person was ceremonially unclean and was considered cursed by God (Num. 12:10). This man must have seen or heard of Jesus’ healing power (see 4:24) and so comes to seek healing. He has a measure of faith (not complete faith as we see with the Centurion in the next episode) however, He knows that Jesus can, but is not convinced that He will heal him. We read,

‘A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”  Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”’ (Matt. 8:2-3) 

What are we to learn from this incident? 

• This, as all healings, are a ‘sign’; Matthew wants us to see and believe that Jesus is the Son of God - God in the flesh.
• Jesus is always ready to hear our prayers, no matter how big.
• Jesus can heal any disease. 
• Jesus was ‘willing’ to heal this man, and we should come expectant that He will heal when we ask. 
• Fifthly, this event is symbolic of the way that Jesus cleanses us from our sin when we come to Him. This man was ‘unclean’; anyone touching him would become defiled (Lev. 13-14); Jesus reaches out and cleanses him. Likewise, we we come to Him, He (spiritually) cleanses us. 

2. A centurion comes to Jesus, and brings his servant in prayer to Jesus. 

Read and meditate on Matthew 8:5-13

The next example of what happens when someone comes to Jesus is that of a centurion, ‘A centurion came to him, asking for help.’ (Matt. 8:5).

When Jesus offers to come with him to perform the miracle, the Centurion expresses his faith in Jesus, “Just say the word, and my servant will be healed” (Matt. 8:8). Jesus praises the centurion’s faith, ‘When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.’ (Matt. 8:10) 

What are we to learn from this example? 

• Firstly, Jesus loves to see faith - trust in who He is. 
• Matthew is using the faith of this Centurion - a gentile (non-Jew) –  to challenge his Jewish readers to put their faith in Jesus (look again at 8:8-12). 
• Thirdly, Jesus heals according to our faith! As Jesus said to this centurion, ’“Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment’ (8:13). True faith always gets the object on which it is focussed. For example, Matthew writes

’Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer”’ (Matt. 21:21-22). 

This centurion had a ‘gift of faith’ - he knew that Jesus could and would heal his servant. When we experience such conviction (a gift of the Spirit), we too, should pray into what God is promising us. However, most of the time, in my experience, one prays in ‘partial faith’ - we believe that Jesus can but not necessarily that He will do something. So, we must all pray according to the measure of faith that God had given us. 

• This account anticipates the churches’ mission to all nations. Jesus’ Kingdom embraces all nations. None are excluded from salvation (See Acts 10:28). Jesus says, 

“I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (quoting Isaiah 25:6). 

To enter the Kingdom of God, it’s faith not race that is important. 

• Let’s remember that although this man came to Jesus, he is actually bringing his servant to Him, as he goes to Jesus on his behalf.

3. Many are brought to Jesus and healed

Read and meditate on Matthew 8:14-16

Oftentimes, people come to Jesus because someone brings them. Either physically, or in prayer (as the centurion’s servant) it is often the responsibility of Christians to bring people to Jesus. Our final account begins, 

‘When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him…’ (8:16)

Matthew continues to highlight Jesus’ healing ministry,

‘When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick’ (Matt. 8:16). 

Matthew is very keen that the readers of his gospel understand that Jesus ‘fulfilled the law and the prophets’ (5:17) - He is the one that the entire Old Testament pointed to. Here, Matthew points to Jesus’ healing ministry as fulfilling the promise of Isaiah 53:4, “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Again, as with the previous two episodes, Matthew wants us to see Jesus’ authority over the spiritual and physical. 

What are we to learn from this account?

• We are to believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah of Isaiah 53. 
• I think we should avoid using this verse as a promise that all people should get healed. Matthew is pointing to what Jesus is doing at that point in history, and, whilst believing that Jesus can still heal, it’s not wise to use this quote as a guarantee that he will heal everyone.
• These healing accounts foreshadow what will happen at the end of history when all things are renewed and restored. Not everyone will get healed in this age, but, have no doubt, at Jesus’ return all sin and sickness will be removed! 
• Jesus has power to heal, so let’s pray for the sick. as we read in James 5,  ‘Is any one of you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven’ (James 5:13-15). 

TUESDAY – “COME TO ME”…THIS MEANS LEAVING EVERYTHING

Read and meditate on Matthew 8:19-20 

During this ‘come to me’ series, our daily devotionals are based on episodes in the Gospel of Matthew that show what happens when people, ‘come to Jesus’. Today we will see what a happens when, ’A teacher of the law came to him’ (8:19) 

When anyone comes to Jesus they will be challenged to the core. To become a Christian requires that we come face-to-face with our sinfulness and need for Jesus to save us from our sin. But the challenge doesn’t stop there! Throughout our lives the Lord continues to refine us of our sin. 

This ‘teacher of the law came to him’. This is a man who thought had his life together. He knew how to live, he was respected, his identity was as a giver of spiritual wisdom rather than a receiver. Bruner writes of this incident, 

‘When listened to carefully his remark has overtones of ‘Jesus, this is your lucky day: I have decided to be your disciple.’

In his self-confidence he tells Jesus, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’ This sounds like a radical offer, however, Jesus knows that he is insincere. Jesus responds, ‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ (5:20). Jesus knows that this man is not really prepared to pay the price of following Him. Jesus seeks to ’bursts the bubble’ of his spiritual pride. If this ‘teacher’ will allow Jesus’ wounding to make him ‘poor in spirit’ (5:1) then there is hope for him. 

RESPONSE

Have we seen that to be a Christian is to ‘follow’ Jesus. This is to give up the dream life and go wherever Jesus leads us! This is a costly path, but it is actually the path of rest and joy. It’s only as we come to Jesus, are yoked and learn from Him, that we find rest and and ‘rivers of living water’. (Matt. 11:28-30; Jn. 7:37-38). 

We must seek to avoid this scribes self-confidence, expressed in his statement, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’ Rather, we are to see Jesus’ righteous life and lifestyle as out of reach. We are to ‘mourn’ our sin (5:4) and ‘hunger and thirst for righteousness’ (5:6), knowing that such people ‘will be filled.’ As we put our faith in Jesus, He give us (imputes) His righteousness as a gift; but He also imparts His righteousness so as to enable us to live, by the Spirit, the sacrificial life of a follower.  

WEDNESDAY – “COME TO ME”…HE WILL TEACH YOU THROUGH STORMS 

Read and meditate on Matthew 8:23-27

Today, we continue to consider what happens when we come to Jesus. For the rest of this week, our devotions will be inspired from the account of Jesus stilling the storm. After the episodes of healing we have been looking at, we read, 

‘Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him’ (8:23). 

All that’s about to take place is because Jesus ‘gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake…’ (8:18). Jesus wants to cross the lake, but, most importantly, He wants to teach them on lake, and to teach all generations of Christians through what happens on this lake-crossing.

As they are on the water it says, ‘Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat’ (8:24a). It’s not that storms happen even to Christians; rather, storms happen because we are Christians! These waves are sent not to destroy, but to test and teach. 

Jesus teaches in different ways

As we have seen through Matthew, Jesus teaches in different ways. In 5:1-7:29, Jesus sat with His disciples on the mountain to teach them in a didactic fashion. However, any teacher will tell you that we learn much more outside of the classroom! Here, Jesus is teaching His disciples through the challenges of life. What one learns ‘on the mountain’ (sat reading or being taught the bible etc.) must be reinforced through application in life. 

For example, in chapter 5, Jesus taught on prayer saying,  “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?…Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

I guess the disciples could have memorised this, passed the test, got the certificate… but their response to the storm, reveals that they worry. Jesus is teaching them so much through this trial. 

RESPONSE

David could sing, “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” (Ps. 119:71) 

Do you believe that Jesus is sovereign (He reigns) over all things? Do you understand that He has much to teach you? Are you in danger of cynicism because life is hard and unexpected? Have no doubt, God is wanting to teach you to know things in the head and heart, and this is only possible through the application of truth in the storms. 

THURSDAY – “COME TO ME”…HE WILL TEACH YOU TO TRUST

Read and meditate on Matthew 8:23-27

The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” (8:25)

We can come to Jesus in great honesty. These disciples were full of faith…that they were going to drown! Mark quotes them as also saying, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38)

Can you imagine writing a worship song based on these words:

“Jesus, don’t You care that we are perishing? We’re going to drown!”

No, you may say with a chuckle, however, for many, it’s the tune they sing everyday! Of course, we can come with great honesty, however, as we do so, if we truly come to Jesus, He will correct our perspective. 

The Psalmist sung, ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.’(Psalm 46:1-4)

It’s in the dark that we need a torch. It’s whilst we are in the dark that we learn to use the ‘light’ of the word of God. When all is going well, we often learn very little. In fact, in seasons of ease we can feel self-confident, believe that our faith is great, believe that we are mature, believe we have something to teach others…however, it’s only when the waves and darkness hit that our true spiritual health is revealed; it’s when we are hurt that we learn if we are truly forgiving; it’s when we lose our job that we learn if we are trusting and generous; it’s when we feel depressed that we learn if we trust in the love and grace of God; it’s when we lose that we find who we truly are and what we truly believe about God!

RESPONSE

How is life going for you at the moment? Is it a season of ease or of darkness and storm? Are you enjoying the boat-ride with Jesus as you punt through the beautiful countryside on a spring day? If so, give thanks. Let’s never be entitled or ungrateful. Maybe, like these disciples, it’s like you’re on the Titanic. Life has hit an immovable problem that threatens to capsize you. Remember, Jesus may seem to be sleeping, but He’s as active as He sees fit. You are going to make it to the other side! He is with you. Pray to Him. Express your trust in Him. Refrain from accusing Him. 

FRIDAY – “COME TO ME”…HE WILL GROW YOUR VISION AND WORSHIP

Read and meditate on Matthew 8:23-27

Today we will complete our meditation on the disciples, in a boat, in a storm with Jesus. Like them, as we come to Jesus, He will take us through storms according to His good purposes. 

Worship is expressing the worth of someone or something. It’s right to give worth to things that are most worthy; that’s why it’s righteous for God to command our worship - He is most worthy and, ultimately, as all things of true worth are, most satisfying for us. 

These disciples are on a journey on which they are learning about the worth of Christ. This event is orchestrated, principally, to teach them, and us as readers, about the great glory of Jesus. 

All of us have seeds of slander against Jesus in our hearts and minds. Like them we can distrust him - “We are going to drown…Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” (Mk. 4:36). 

The journey to worship of Habakkuk

Like these disciples in the storm, Habakkuk is taken on a journey from perplexity to worship. This book is a dialogue between Habakkuk and God in which we see Habakkuk’s anger and confusion replaced by trust and worship

A summary of the book of Habakkuk:

• Habakkuk begins by complaining about God’s, apparent, inaction over the state of the nation (Habakkuk 1:2-4). 

“How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?" (Hab. 1:2)

• God reveals that He is going to use the Babylonians to discipline His people. 

“Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. I am raising up the Babylonians…” (Hab. 1:5-6)

• Habakkuk is perplexed by God’s actions - how can He use a nation like the Babylonians? (Hab. 1:12-13)

“…You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment; you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish. Your eyes are too pure to look on evil…” (Hab. 1:12-13) 

• God assures Habakkuk that He will punish Babylon In His own time (Hab. 2: 2-4)

“For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” (Has. 2:3)

• Haggai is given a great vision of the end of time 

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” (Hab. 2:14) 

• Haggai comes to a place of expressing worship and trust (Habakkuk 3:1-19)

‘Though the fig tree does not bud and no fruit is on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the sheep are cut off from the fold and no cattle are in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!’ (Habakkuk 3:17-18)

Habakkuk was in a ‘storm’ of national crisis, but He is enabled to worship as he gains greater vision God. 

Terry Virgo wrote of the need to ‘praise God with understanding’. 

‘Often people are not praisers because they are actually not very impressed with God. The more we sing songs that tell us who God is and what He has done, the more we will understand and begin to praise.

I lived in the USA for two years. At first I didn’t know anything about American football. When I first watched it, I thought ‘this is so boring’. The other men watching were all shouting, but I had no understanding of the play and failed to recognise the skills on display. To me it was a boring game that kept on stopping and starting. I saw nothing to praise.

After living there for two years I began to understand some of the players’ phenomenal ability and flair. Then I began to praise. Praise isn’t a matter of bullying people, ‘come on what’s wrong with you this morning?’ It may be that we still haven’t got hold of enough truth or that we are singing songs with no content.

I was absent when Stuart Townend first introduced his song ‘In Christ Alone’ in our church. People were raving about it. When I heard it on tape in my car, I couldn’t hear all the words, so I wondered why everybody was so excited. But the next Sunday I was in the meeting and felt the impact of the truth in it. Don’t keep singing songs that have no content. Sing songs that absorb your mind and expand your understanding of God.’ 

Worship is about ‘seeing’ God - appreciating who He is and what He’s done and then praising Him in response. Worship involves the mind and the heart. However, much worship has been reduced to a personal emotional experience. 

Jared Wilson in his book, The Gospel Driven Church, expresses his concern over much of modern church ‘worship’. He writes,

‘Many people evaluate spiritual growth and the work of the Spirit based solely on how they felt during the service. You’ve probably heard these comments like, 

“The energy in the room was incredible!” “I’ve never experienced anything like that.” “I wish I could stay here.” “I cried a lot.” “I had a real moment.” . . . “I really felt good…”’

He adds, 

'Let’s take care that the adjectives we use to describe our worship do not communicate that the worship is really for the worshipper. It’s not the experience of worship that the worshiper is worshipping.’

RESPONSE

We cannot praise what we don’t know. Too often our trust and worship are dependent upon things going well for us or on how we feel. We even find ourselves saying “Wow that was an amazing time of worship, I felt so moved”. This is not to say that emotions aren’t good; however, a good time of worship is about seeing and praising the glory of God. 

It’s in the storms that we learn to see Jesus in a new and glorious way. Matthew writes of this account, 

‘Jesus replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:26-27). 

weak faith leads to fear. In this account, the truth of the glory of Jesus begins to dawn on them. Like them we are to ask the question, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” To which we should be able to answer with words like Paul, 

‘The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn (firstborn means to be in authority) over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.’ (Colossians 1:15-17) 

Are you ready for the ‘Suddenly a furious storm came’ moments of life? Do you know who Jesus is? Worship prepares us to stand in trials, sustains us through trials, and greater worship will be the fruit if we will  come to Jesus and learn from Him. 

3. COMMUNITY GROUP/FAMILY STUDY

COME TO ME…TOGETHER PT. 1

Let’s begin by reminding ourselves of our vision which is… BRINGING PEOPLE TO JESUS.  We do this in three relationships: Myself, One-another and Non-believers.  

Please read Matthew  8:23-27

This week we are focussing on bringing ‘one-another’ to Jesus - the vital place of church community. This episode begins, ‘Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.’ (8:23) It’s easy to think of this account, and the Christian life, individualistically; however, the disciples are in the boat together, as well as being with Jesus. Jesus calls us to learn from Him, to follow Him, with others. 

Discuss together:

• The main point of this narrative is to teach us about Jesus. What does this account teach us about Him? 
• What kinds of ‘sudden furious storms’ come into our lives? 
• Why is the Church family helpful when we are in the ‘storms’ and do you have any personal examples that you’d like to share?
• What do the disciples think is going to happen to them, and what does this express about their faith in Christ?
• Faith (through understanding) and action are inspired and matured in Church community. What does Acts 2:42 say about this process?
• Our goal for bringing one-another to Jesus is: ‘Every member is devoted to building an amazing Community Group. (Meeting weekly is a good start)’. In their poor faith, they believed they were going to drown! Likewise, we can believe that giving our time to church community and a Community Group, will damage our lives in various ways. This goal requires faith. Storms will come - ‘I don’t like that person…it’s boring…I’m too busy… I’m too tired…’ faith makes a way! (Of course, there are legitimate reasons for not being in community as much as you’d like).  What scriptural texts would you use to build faith for this goal? 

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