Come and See.

 

This message was preached by Steve O via zoom, at the Regions Beyond  Advance conference in August 2022.

Come and see! 

These are days when you want to respond to what God is saying in His Word. In the New Era, those who will listen to God and will adjust to fit into His purposes will see the great blessing, real fruitfulness and worldwide impact. My concern is that too few are radical enough to change in obedience to God.

 

John 1:43 - 51

 Let’s understand what type of churches God wants us to build in this new era. Churches that put Jesus fully on display. When you read the early passages of the gospels, you can see that it was a new era for mankind. With the coming of Jesus, even time was divided into B.C and A.D.

The gospel of mark starts with quoting Malachi 3 pointing to what Scripture foretold about the birth of a New Era. It is in the context of this new era that Philip encounters Jesus face to face. Jesus looks him in the eyes and says follow me! Philip is overwhelmed by this experience. When he finds his friend Nathaniel, he is so excited! Nathaniel responds the way the world responds to us sometimes cynical, questioning – what good can come out of Nazareth?

 But Philip is not put off. Instead, he says come and see! This excitement and uniqueness of what Philip was sharing, it worked because Nathaniel goes to Jesus and as he encounters Jesus for himself, Jesus reveals his inner thoughts. He is totally undone before Jesus and his inner seeking is fully satisfied as Jesus unlocks him.

 

The Pandemic changed all our lives. The pandemic was a time that revealed some deep weaknesses in the way we did things. So many churches are depleted after the Pandemic. The Pandemic removed a lot of things we relied on i.e programmes, lack of relying on the Holy Spirit. It became a time of reset for all. God always renews his church and culture through a remnant with red hot faith. It is our responsibility to discover that faith and get back to what really matters in this new era. When Philip called Nathaniel and others, they were immediately caught up in the new era in Jesus.

 I want our churches to be like Philip. We have discovered something so beautiful and meaningful that no what who we meet, we can tell them “come and see- we have found the source of life”!

What type of church do we need in a new era that we can tell people to come and see:

 

4 DISTINCTIVES TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR LOCAL CHURCH

 

1. Church in the New Era is a Family - an activated body: when unbelievers walk through our doors, the first thing I want them to experience is family. It’s not a community or congregation, it is the family that I want. We all have families. If you came to my family, you’ll find that everyone plays their part. As a family, we carry the household. For too long church has been pastor and audience where the pastor does everything. If you are a leader/pastor, your church is not your audience – they need to be your family. So we need to know what everyone’s gifts and passions are. We need to interchange and share the tasks that make the church a family. In our families we have fun. Fathers should serve the children and the children should honour the elders. It needs to be a family full of grace where we are free to make mistakes and be lovingly restored and where we forgive each other all the time. It needs to be a household full of hugs and holy kisses – security and celebration.

 

2. A family of the word and spirit: what makes us different from a club is our supernatural relation with a living God. When people come in they need to see that we are a people who know the living God.

There was a move to build seeker-friendly churches. The Father, Son and holy spirit are the most seeker-friendly union you can find. We need to put that on display. How?

Speak confidently and openly about our relationship with God. We can speak about him like he is in the room because he is! Sometimes we speak of God as though he is not around.

We need to put the supernatural on display in our worship and sing in tongues. 1 Corinthians 14:22 says tongues are for the unbelievers. Praying for healing, praying for needs, it all puts God on display. Being still and having time to listen to the spirit. A community that breathes hope: because we are a community of the word.  Pray for the sick and for needs – it puts God on display and also allows the Spirit to do His seeker-friendly thing.

3. A kingdom people - church on Sunday to Saturday. We put so much focus on Sunday mornings but Sunday morning is not enough. We must take the church onto the streets. We must bring transformation to our communities. The world has many questions. You and I have the answers. For this, we need to grow to see every person empowered to be God’s healing community in their family, school, workplace, sports club etc. Don’t start projects, release gifts.
4. A family full of faith: Hebrews11:6 God wants us to live by faith. If we want to see the world overwhelmed that they know Jesus is alive, then we need active faith that works in our midst. 3 practical steps:
1. Prayer - when we pray we are saying, Jesus is alive, he listens to us and he answers us. They need to see us praying big bold prayers. Prayers that bring change to our community
2. Generosity- that’s how we share what we are and have with others. Let’s show the world where our provision comes from.
3. Faith goals- share your vision, and have goals by faith. Ask God what you can do. Faith puts Jesus on display.

As we see the New Era coming, we want to be a family. By your love, they will know that you are my disciples.

If we will adjust, there is a great grace that follows. Mark's gospel gets straight into the work of Jesus. No genealogies or anything. So, we get a view of this massive change that has taken place. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth onto an old garment. The old and the new can’t fit together for the purposes of God.

 If we are to fulfil God's call there are some aspects of the old that we need to let go of. Are you being radical in your church community? What are you doing differently now that you weren’t doing pre- pandemic? Are you trying to sew on a new cloth into the old era? 

Casting off- again| Mark Jones

This message was preached by   Mark Jones at Word of Grace Church  Pune, on the 20th of July, 2014. You can listen/download to the audioby clicking here

God wants to give us a miraculous catch in waters we have already fished in. we do not put confidence in the outcome but in God. We need to look at his face and not his hands.

Luke 5- Jesus was preaching in the temple and read that famous passage from Is 61. Jesus was challenging their views on the prophets.

Beginning something is very difficult. Getting momentum is hard whether it’s a book, job, diet, etc.

Jesus was moving through the land and see people being healed. Jesus knew he was not a one man band and gathered people who will establish local churches across the land.

Jesus knew what he was doing and we see that in Luke 5. He did not come to build the community out of the old one. He was challenging their view of the prophets. This upset people. Just as they rejected the prophets, they were rejecting him. There was no place for old wineskins. What was coming was far greater than what was before. The kingdom of God is advancing and like a fermented wine.

This is a new dynamic time and God is doing a growing fermentation. Don’t look back to the older days. Don’t look back but look forward to what God is fermenting here. I’m not saying the past is not important. Isaiah built memorials for God’s faithfulness. That is not old wineskin but celebrating the future. It’s time to become flexible.

Luke 6: rock and sand. Hear the word of the Lord. A new wineskin is established in the word of the Lord. There is a historic document that must be established. We don’t throw that out. Always establish on the word and not on culture. Don’t try and be culturally relevant and lose out on the word. Don’t build on traditions or sentiment- get caught up with things that are not important. The word of God stands for all times.

Jesus came to some very discouraged fishermen. That was his focus and not the crowds. Jesus knew what he was about.

Jesus went out on the boat with Peter. He wanted time with Peter. God knows each one of us. Jesus wanted Peter to experience something great because he was going to do something great with him.

God also breaks into our ordinary life- into his boat- school, college, work, etc. That’s where God breaks in. God has gifts to be used in the world place.

This was a prime moment for a miracle- when we have done everything and want to give up. What happens when you run out of steam? It’s at that point God says, “I have got you where I want you.”

This is the time God moves in and breaks in. it’s better when we are weak, we get there quicker. When Jesus asks Peter to put back out to sea. These men were alert for opportunity. Be ready in season and out of season. They took their nets with them. They were ready. Are you ready? Are you off somewhere else because you are tired of waiting? Let God know where you are. Despondency can lead you to retreat.

Peter was already marked out. Wonder what conversation Jesus and Peter had.

The call of God does not come in with a C.V. The call of God is defined by how you live your life.

The catch!

Jesus sends them back to the same place. The strategy is right. Let your nets down again. Do it. The breakthrough will come. Will you keep fishing in the place God has called you? Jackie Pullings did not have fruit for 5 years and now 100s are getting saved.

God wants to partner with this church for miracles. You will see great fruit. It’s time. Put your nets down again. Notice Peter encountered God like Isaiah.

The sovereign power of God convinces people. We should ask for an outpouring of His spirit. We need to spend more time praying that strategizing.

Then the commission came- I will make you fishers of men. Later 3000 get saved. God is calling us to partner with him for a day of power. Miracles to authenticate the preaching of the gospel. 

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that have people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service. To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.

Vision 2013 - New Wine skins Part 2

 This message was preached by Colin D' Cruz at Word of Grace Church on the 27th of Jan 2013. You can listen / download the audio file by clicking here.

 Last week we looked at Hab 2:14 where God’s ultimate purpose and plan is the whole earth be covered with His glory as the waters cover the sea.

God’s plan right from Genesis is to fill the earth with His glory. We see God’s glory in creation as well. Redeemed men are bearers of God’s glory as well and God wants to fill the earth with people He has redeemed so that Hid glory will fill the earth.

The new wine skin for this to happen is the start of many, many, house gatherings that are reaching out to their communities.

In U.P 50,000 people in the villages have come to know Jesus through this method. This is happening in the hardest of places viz. Bihar, M. P both which were formally known as the graveyard of the missionaries.

The gospel is the only hope for the nations. Last week we gave a call and 25 responded to start house groups.

How will God use us, weak vessels to spread His glory?

Ezk 47

Ezekiel was a trainee priest who lived during a very tragic period in Israel’s history during the reign of King Josiah. They had lost all the scrolls. This went on for generations. All they had was what the prophets taught them. Then one day on 622 B C they found the scrolls. This is when Ezekiel is born on the cusp of the rise of one power and the fall of another.

Ezekiel’s time saw the Assyrian empire crumbling and the Egyptian and Babylon jostling for power.

Israel was split into North ( the 11 tribes) and South ( Judah). North Israel was in captivity.

Josiah removed idolatry in Israel. The Bible speaks over and over again against Idolatry. Josiah dies in battle and Judah goes into captivity. Ezekiel was about 25 when he was taken in to captivity. He was trained to be a priest but he becomes a prophet.

Ezekiel was shocked that God revealed himself to him in an ungodly nation  i. e Babylon. God was at work in the most unlikely places. This is pre picture of John 14:4 . The Samaritan woman though God could only speak to her in a particular place. Ezekiel’s experience is a shadow of what is to come where God could be encountered and worshiped anywhere.

God gave Ezekiel revelation and vision of what was happening in Jerusalem. God gives him hope of a new thing happening. The book of Ezekiel has more visions than any other Old Testament book.

He has a vision of a new city and a new temple. An angel was showing him around. At one of the side gates there was a trickle of water. The angel takes him 450 meters away from the gate and it gets ankle deep, then knee deep and then waist deep and the too deep.

The irony is the further away they went from the temple the river got deeper and wider. Then the angel took Ezekiel to the banks of the river where there were fruit bearing trees and then the river reaches the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea as the name suggests does not support any life. But in this vision the river flows into the Dead Sea and the water begins to get fresh and there is life.

How does this story fit in with the whole story of the Word of God.

The Temple –  a place of worship where God and man meet. The first temple was in the Garden of Eden. It’s a source of blessing. The people are blessed there s that they can be a blessing o others. In Israel the temples ha plants and fruits ( Gen 2:8) and animals engraved on the pillars because it reminded them of Eden.

Gen 2: 10  A river watering the garden flowed out of Eden and split into 4. Along that garden are trees. God placed Adam and Eve there and the plan was that the entire earth would be blessed. Today’s temple is the church. Eph 2:22 – you are the temple.

We think that God’s blessing was in the temple. But in the temple the water was only a trickle but as you went further away it got deeper. In the same way as we go further into the mission field, barren situations God’s power and presence increases.

Evangelical and Charismatic churches stress being in God’s presence. That’s good but not enough. Some people just go from one meeting to another, one conference to another seeking blessing and it can be like the Dead Sea where there is resistance to anything fresh.

John 7:37 One the last day of the feast they would have large water jars. Jesus says “ If anyone is thirsty… “

Ezekiel had a vision of a river. In was symbolic of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and streams of living water flowing out of us.

As we believe in Jesus – streams of living water will flow out of us and into dead situations to bring life.

Jesus promised us his presence in the context of going. Matt 28:18-20 “… I will be  with you always… “

Acts 1:8  a promise to receive the Holy Spirit so that we will be witnesses to the ends of the earth.

Pentecost – was a movement – it was a declaration that every language group would receive the gospel.

Rev 22:1 “ River of water of life” Revelation is where the curtain is pulled back and we see the fulfillment of Genesis, John and Ezekiel coming to pass.

Genesis and Revelation- the Tree of Life is mentioned. How does this apply to us?

You are the river of God- for you are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Take the river of God to a thirsty and dying nation. God’s words will come as we go into different situations. So this year as we start the 30 house gatherings remember his grace is sufficient – his presence is with you.

Mak 16: 19-20 This is God’s promise to us

Are you ready to take that step of faith Jesus is with us as we go and in the going? AS we go His presence will increase. As we make disciples and take steps of faith His presence will increase.