Partakers Christian Podcasts

Sermon - God and His Church

God and His church!

As Christian Disciples, we declare that we believe in God! That's what we have been doing in our praises and testimonies! Somebody asked last week what I meant by a WOWFactor of God! Just that - testimonies of how great is our God. As Christian Disciples, we declare that we not only believe in the existence of God, but that we can know God personally! We declare that we can grow in our knowledge of this great and Almighty God who is infinite and beyond our limitations of space and time! This great and awe-inspiring God we trust, obey, follow and worship, amazing as it sounds, is personable and knowable. This God we worship is a personal God and not a remote being or an un-emotive statue to place on a shelf. More than that, this God wants to be known. So with that said, just who is God?

1. Who is God?

God's Natural Attributes

God's Moral Attributes

2. Our Relational Response

God desires to bring people back into relationship with Himself! To do so, God established a New Covenant! This Covenant has four main features:

• Justification - Sins will be forgiven and removed.
• Promised Holy Spirit - God will live inside people and they will be led by Him.
• Regeneration -God will renew & restore people.
• Restoration - God will be their God, and they will be His people.

The Church

Fellowship

Worship

Evangelism

Jesus' WOWFactor

As I close, here is my own WOWFactor about Jesus, the Son of God. My Jesus is unique, majestic, tender, wise, strong, and lovely. My Jesus, whom I seek to serve and obey in every facet of life. I often don't achieve it, but I know that when I fall and fail, I can ask for forgiveness and He will grant it from His wellsprings of grace and mercy. It is this Jesus whom I depend upon and personally know to be totally reliable in every way. When people let me down, turn away from me, discourage me, think wrongly off me, or incorrectly assume my motives.
This Jesus always picks me up. He never turns me away. He always encourages and embraces me. At the end of the day, I know that Jesus has been dependable, going ahead of me throughout the day! I give Him thanks. Amazing! This Jesus who died on a Roman cross two thousand years ago was the same Jesus who was raised from the dead, without decay, into newness of life and ascended to the right hand of the Father. What is more, this Jesus is coming back to gather His followers, to Himself. Jesus is coming back, but not as a baby this time. There will be no kitchy-kitchy koo factor this time. No! Jesus the Son of God, is coming back as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Are you ready?

Amazing! This God-man, Jesus, is coming back and He will do the most extraordinary thing. We read about it in Revelation 21:4 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Isn't that just the most amazing verse of Scripture? Picture the scene! Jesus Christ taking your face in His scarred hands and wiping away your tears - tears of suffering and tears of joy. You will say to yourself, it was all worth it - the trials, temptations, sufferings and experiences I have had for the sake of Jesus Christ my Master. Are you ready for Him?

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Sermon - Romans 8 - Freedom to live

Freedom to Live

Romans 8:18-39

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I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:18-39)

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Christian WOW Word 31 - Sovereignty of God

WOW Word - Sovereignty Of God

 

G’day! The WOW word for today is Sovereignty of God.

The sovereignty of God means that God is in control at all times and nothing can occur outside of His control and will.  God loves His creation and cares for it.  He won’t deny people their humanity when dealing with them. 

Decrees – a part of Sovereignty

Sovereign decree: When God says “Eternal life is available for all.  You may choose to accept or reject it.  Those that accept it, I will call my children.”  Your own reaction as a Christian Disciple is that you have taken up God’s offer and are trusting and obeying.

Conditional decree: When God says “I am willing to give you my opinion and help when you ask.”  Our reaction should be to read the Bible, and pray and talk to God about the situation!

Natural decree:  When God has created a lemon tree, that lemon tree wont produce potatoes.”  Our reaction should be to plan in view of that.

But!

A question often posed is one that goes “Well if God is sovereign, then why doesn’t He do something about the suffering of the masses such as those in who are dying for lack of food?” But God has done something about it!  God has provided enough food for all people everywhere, just that we in the West are greedy! So the problem is not with God, but with people! God’s provision to all people has become God’s provision for the minority, through humanity’s inhumanity to others. As for other kinds of suffering, that’s part of the reason for the cross, where God Himself experienced human suffering when Jesus died on the cross: Jesus, the man who was both fully God and fully human.  God is not so removed from our sufferings, which He Himself endured and suffered at the Cross.  Just because God allows free will to all people to sin, doesn’t mean that God is responsible for the sin – that is, and must remain, people’s responsibility! If not, we would all just be robotic automatons instead of free people.

God knows…

God’s sovereignty is inclusive in that it covers all actions of people, good or bad (Acts 2v23; Ephesians 2v10).  The foundation of God’s sovereignty is wisdom according to Paul (Ephesians 3:8-11).  So, when we are faced with a decision, God knows what is going to occur. He knows all the options and choices.  It is important when faced with making decisions to pray about it and read the Bible.  He seeks you to respond to Him with love and affection. Why not start today, and ask Him for help? God is interested in every facet of your life.  If He were not, then He couldn’t be personal, and He certainly wouldn’t be sovereign!

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Christian Testimony - Steve

Glimpses 57- Stephen

This is the story of Stephen. He lives in Bournemouth and he shares how an encounter with Jesus changed is life from hatred, violence, cruelty and drug addiction... Come and hear!

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Sermon - The Hour Is Near

The Hour Is Near

Matthew 26:36-46

Opening Prayer

Father, as we come to your written word, keep our eyes and minds awake by your Spirit, so that we can engage with, and learn more, about your living Word, Jesus Christ, apply that learning to our lives so that you receive all glory and honour due your name. Amen.

 

Well, I don’t know how you are coping with this lockdown due to CoronaVirus, but not much has changed for myself, as I am used to working from home. I have been praying with people regularly online and have done interactive Church services every couple of days as people want. If you think that internet Church, isn't Church, well that is ok. You can think of it as simply an interactive time on the internet, between people in different physical locations, meeting at the same time, where God is worshipped, prayed to and studied in the Bible by each of them simultaneously. My biggest problem is forgetting to take breaks, unlike in normal practise, going off to the coffeeshop for a couple of hours with the newspaper. But I know that some folks aren’t coping with the lockdown and isolation, particularly the extroverts amongst us. What can we do about that? As ever, the Bible has something to say into that situation. So lets start with our passage in Matthew 26.

The public ministry of Jesus has been going for just about 3 years now. It started when he was baptized by John the Baptist, where the crowds heard these words from God the Father: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” And where God the Holy Spirit descended upon him as a dove.

Since that time, Jesus has gathered his disciples, such as Peter, James and John with the words: “Come and follow me!” During those three years, Jesus has traversed the countryside, announcing Good News, feeding the multitudes, healing the sick and raising the dead. Jesus, who was asleep in the back of a boat while his disciples were scared of the storm. Jesus, who awoke, told the storm to cease. And it ceased! Jesus who cared for the poor, the destitute, and the outcasts of society. Jesus who taught with such wisdom and authority, that people were amazed. Jesus who confidently walked upon water. Jesus who throughout his public ministry gave clues to the events which are now coming into eventuality.

Jesus who clearly proclaimed that he alone was the living bread; the light of the world; the good shepherd and the gate; the resurrection; the way, the truth, and the life; and finally declaring that He alone was the true vine! Whereas the nation of Israel was the symbol, Jesus was the reality, and it was He who was the long waited for Messiah or Saviour. Jesus, who not so long ago, entered Jerusalem in that amazing scene, to the shouts of the crowds: ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Hosanna in the highest heaven!’ A very different scene than the one before us in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus also seems a different person as well.

 

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Sermon - Living in the face of alienation and its cure (1 Peter 1)

 

Sermon - Living in the face of alienation and its cure

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles, scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance. (1 Peter 1:1-2)

11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (2 Peter 2:11-12)

 

Introduction

• The author
• Who is Peter?
  
• What is the letter all about?
  
• Who is the letter to?
  

1. God

• God is Trinity
  
• Trinity is Love Indivisible
  
• Trinity is a Love Relationship
  
• God the Father foreknew!
  
• God the Spirit sanctifies!
  
• God the Son sacrifices.
  

2. Therefore!

• You are chosen by the Father out of His great love for them, cleansed by the Spirit to enable them to enter God’s Holy presence through the sacrificial obedience of the Son.
  
• God’s dear children – beloved of God
  
• They are in exile, travelling towards the heavenly city.
  
• They are to abstain from sinful desires!
  

3. Why are they to do this?

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Christian Testimony - Sharon

Sharon, a Chinese believer, talks about her journey of faith, from Daoism to Christianity and how Jesus Christ is relevant to her life today.

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Pulp Theology 04 - Church History - Heroes And Heretics Abound

PulpTheology Book

Church History - Heroes And Heretics Abound

I know what you are probably thinking! History is boring! Was I right? I have heard it a million times! I think history can be fascinating, particularly Church history. Why do I think that? Because how can anything with heroes and heretics be boring? More than that, the story of the Christian Church is your story! Yes! You, dear reader! Your story, regardless of where you are from and who you are. Your story, regardless of your belief or non-belief. Perhaps you know very little of it. No worries! This book is written with you in mind.

Before Jesus Christ ascended back to heaven, he commanded his 11 followers to go and tell others about Him and His work. They did, and we stand here today as a product of their obedience. But how did the Church get here today? Together we explore her birth, growth and development. Development to the point where today, she is worldwide and has at least 2 billion people who identify as a Christian, of one kind or another. All the while, striving to avoid the mistakes and embrace the joys of her history.

We also interact with some people of today, who tell about their relationship with the Church. Finally, we also interact with some of the great minds of Church history, looking at some of the prayers of the Church. As the Church of today and tomorrow, we can all learn something from this exciting story. Come on in!

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Prayer of Patrick (c389 - 461AD)

Partakers Prayers - A prayer of Patrick (c389 - 461AD)

 

We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity! Come! Let us pray together!

 

Our God, God of all people!

God of heaven and earth, seas and rivers,

God of sun and moon, of all the stars,

God of high mountain and lowly valley,

God over heaven, and in heaven, and under heaven.

~~~~~~

He has a dwelling in heaven and earth and sea

and in all things that are in them.

He inspires all things, he quickens all things.

He is over all things, he supports all things.

~~~~~~

He makes the light of the sun to shine,

He surrounds the moon and the stars,

He has made wells in the arid earth,

Placed dry islands in the sea.

~~~~~~

He has a Son co-eternal with himself...

And the Holy Spirit breathes in them;

Not separate are the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

 

Amen

 

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Prayer of Bonaventure

Partakers Prayer

We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity! Come! Let us pray together!

A prayer of Bonaventure

Lord Jesus,

as God’s Spirit came down and rested upon you,

may the same Spirit rest upon and be within us.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

O Yahweh,

Grant us the gift of understanding,

by which your precepts may enlighten our minds.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O Jehovah,

Grant us counsel,

by which we may follow in your footsteps on the path of righteousness.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O Great God,

grant us courage,

by which we may ward off the Enemy’s attacks.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O Sovereign God,

grant us knowledge, 

by which we can distinguish good from evil.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O Merciful God,

grant us piety,

by which we may acquire compassionate hearts.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O Holy God,

grant us fear,

by which we may draw back from evil and submit to what is good.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

O ineffable God made known through Jesus,

grant us wisdom,

that we may taste fully the life-giving sweetness of your love.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For we ask this, O God our Father,

In the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us

Through the Son who died and rose again!

Amen.

 

Based on a Prayer of Bonaventure 1221 –1274

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