What Jesus Says to a Complacent Church

This Sunday we continue our series: 'Beautiful Resistance - the joy of conviction in a culture of compromise’. This week our challenge will be to keep our hunger for more of God's kingdom alive, and not yield our hearts to the spiritual apathy that dominates so much of our modern culture. We look forward to seeing you from 10am.

This Sunday our teaching series ’Beautiful Resistance’ continues as we consider God’s call to sabbath rest. The sabbath is a weekly reminder that we are not what we do - rather, we are who we are loved by.
We will consider how Jesus will never be seen as beautiful or desirable if his followers are stressed-out and worn-out in the exact same way as the rest of the world.

'In a time of compromise and disillusionment, God is calling his people to a movement of beautiful resistance’ says Jon Tyson on the back of his new book of the same name.
Over the next couple of months we will be following Jon’s insights gleaned from many years leading a flourishing church in New York City. In the midst of our permissive western culture, we will learn how to be a joyful, distinctive community as we follow Jesus together and offer hope to our world.  

When Jesus begins his public ministry by teaching with great authority, opposition quickly makes its presence felt. Still today we can expect to face opposition when proclaiming Christ and the freedom that he brings. However if we are resolute in following him, we can be assured of ultimate victory in Christ.   

Just as Jesus called a bunch of ordinary fishermen to leave everything to follow him, so too he calls us today to a life of radical selflessness and discipleship.
The price for being a follower of Jesus can be high, but for those courageous enough to respond to his call, an abundant life of eternal meaning & purpose awaits.

Today’s lectionary readings give us some useful signposts for ministry, relevant as we celebrate today the beginning of a partnership in ministry between the congregation of CMP and Rev Peter Chapman. I want specifically to highlight a commitment to voicing uncomfortable truths, a willingness to be personally transparent with God and others, and a focus on introducing people to Jesus.

A new year always brings a sense of hope.
Year 2020 with all its tragedies, problems, disappointments, darkness, and sadness is now behind us, and a new year 2021 lies ahead. As we embark on this new year, embodied so well in the spirit of Epiphany and the reality of life moving on, a fair question for us to ask is, “how can we move on?”.
The prophet Isaiah tells the people of Israel to “Arise, shine; for your light has come…”  They no longer have to live in darkness – nor do we.  Rise and shine, get up, begin again – there is more to come!  There are new roads to travel upon in this new year. Each of us has a new road ahead of us in the new year.  It’s another road, a different road than any we’ve travelled on before (Genesis 32:22-32). 
As we step off down that road, not knowing what we may find, not knowing exactly where we’re going, we can be comforted in knowing that for sure, the light goes with us, leading us, guiding us, showing us the way. Jesus said “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12). God will be with us on our journeys down that new road ahead.  Even now God is calling to each of us, whoever we are, whatever our circumstance, calling us to get up off our hands and knees, to stop creeping, and rise and shine, and continue on the journey, giving God our praise, and sharing the Good News with others along the way (Matthew 5:13-16).

It’s 2021! It’s a new year, it’s a new start, it’s a new beginning.

2020 proved to be a crazy year, it has been absolutely life changing for so many people. People have died, people have lost their jobs. Businesses have shut down.

But Jesus remains the same yesterday, today and forever. As we start this year, I encourage all of us to hold fast to the promises of God and to let go and let God. 

If you were asked what word or words have been uppermost in your mind this year how would you respond?

Covid-19? Financial stress?  Physical stress? Emotional stress?

What is the word or words that best express 2020?
I want to suggest to you that the word is “SHAKEN”.

This week starting with Hebrews 12 v25-29 & Haggai 2 v6&7 we will look at what, who & why things have been & are still being shaken at the end of 2020 and our Christian response.

The message of the Nativity of Jesus has never been one of complete joy. The story, like our own existence, has strains of darkness and of light. It is into this human reality that God becomes incarnate.