“What would you like me to pray for you?”. 12 Aug 12
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
“What would you like me to pray for you?”.
What do you do when the going gets tough? The cliché says that’s when the tough get going. But what do Christians do when the pressure mounts? When people oppose us, or attack us, or when things just seem plain difficult?
One thing they do is to pray. They call out to the God who saves. Ah, but what do they pray? A variety of things if we are to judge by the Psalms. Even “destroy my enemies!”. But Christians have a different model. Jesus prayed “forgive them”. Stephen, the first Christian killed for his faith, prayed, “Don’t hold this against them.” Christians are taught to let God take care of the justice side of things – they are not to take vengeance themselves.
But all of this is a bit self-focused (understandable if you’re being beaten up I suppose). The other thing disciples pray is for help and courage to keep on doing what God told them to do. And to ask God to keep on doing his part.
Read more: “What would you like me to pray for you?”. 12 Aug 12
7W. Four angles on what happened to the lame man Acts 4.1-22
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Acts
{podcast id=246}
Four angles on what happened to the lame man Acts 4.1-22
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 5 August 2012
How different groups saw Jesus' action and message as brought by Peter and John
Would you like to start an apprenticeship? 5 Aug 12
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Would you like to start an apprenticeship?
Are you a disciple – of Jesus that is? Have you ever been helped to be a disciple? I know a man who is a disciple of a famous guitarist. He has even travelled overseas to study with him. I know another person who is a disciple of a fine carpenter. He made sure he got an apprenticeship with him, and even though he has now passed out of his indentures he still learns from him. Another friend of mine is a disciple of a high level mathematical physicist, again she has followed her teacher overseas in order to benefit from his supervision of her PhD.
These are all disciples, even though we have different words to describe them. At least they are disciples in the biblical sense. Unfortunately in church language “disciple” has tended to mean merely a follower. Someone who follows Jesus around, watching and listening, yes, but mostly a spectator. A bit like the peloton in a bike race.
But disciples are not a fan club. They are not even supporters. They are apprentices. This implies five things at least.
Read more: Would you like to start an apprenticeship? 5 Aug 12
6W. Acts 3.1-26 The leaping lame man and the talkative apostles
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Acts
{podcast id=247}
The leaping lame man and the talkative apostles. Acts 3.1-26
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 29 July 2012
What happened to the lame man; how it happened; and what it means.
Grumpy messengers 29 July 12
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Grumpy messengers
Today we start reading the story of Jonah the reluctant prophet. Well, a bit more than reluctant, positively grumpy. Or was he afraid? As soon as he was told to go to Nineveh he got on a boat going in the opposite direction. Maybe he thought he wouldn’t get much of a hearing from them. Perhaps he thought he was being sent on a fool’s errand, like the apprentice looking for a left handed screw-driver – only more dangerous.
Or maybe he just didn’t like the Ninevites. Maybe he thought they deserved whatever was coming to them. After all they were hardly Israel’s favourite friends. A bad people, with bad religion and bad customs, that didn’t deserve any help or mercy – especially not from Israel’s God.
A new stage in God’s mission through Christ the King 22 July 12
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
A new stage in God’s mission through Christ the King
On Wednesday night Church Council brought to a conclusion our discussions and prayers over the last few months. They agreed that it is time to start two new congregations in place of the one at 9am.
On September 2 we will have a final Thanksgiving Service at 9am to give thanks for God’s work among us over the last 26 or so years, and to send out the two new congregations which will start on September 9 at 8.30am and 10.00am.
This seems like a radical and scary plan. And it is in a way. But perhaps this is in our genes, since the church plant that began at Leeming more than 30 years ago was a radical experiment in Christian community that gave birth to a number of strong churches, including Willetton.
I am grateful for the wonderful way in which we have handled this process. There was been goodwill, open and honest questions and expressions of opinion, and a general commitment to work together in harmony. Not all the differences of opinion have been resolved (maybe some never will be) but there has been a strong fellowship and unity.
Now the new work begins.
Read more: A new stage in God’s mission through Christ the King 22 July 12
5W. It's about Jesus Acts 2.14-41
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Acts
{podcast id=248}
It's about Jesus Acts 2.14-41
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on Sunday 15 July 2012
The pouring out of the Spirit is what Joel said would happen in the last days, it is about Jesus who has poured out the Spirit because he is Lord and King, and so we should now serve him as Lord
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