'I can't wait until I'm old enough to...' Most of us had something that we wished we were old enough to do back when we were children.
Whatever it might have been for you, was it all that you had hoped for when you finally arrived? As children we don't often recognise the freedom that comes with our age or the responsibility that comes with being able to do 'grown-up' things. Being able to drive is great, but you take on the responsibility of paying the insurance and registration, and filling the car with fuel, not to mention the responsibility for the safety of those in your vehicle and all the others with whom you share the roads. Maturity as a child of God is no different. It is not just about you and your relationship with God, but also about how we relate to one another. Real Christian maturity occurs as we grow together in Christ.
#2 in our vision series: "Growing Pains"
Hinge moments. They are all around us. Those moments of transition that stretch us, challenge us, unsettle us, inspire us. These hinge moments can either open or close the door leading to very different pathways in our lives. Here at LifeWay, today is a hinge moment. A moment of transition or change that God has prepared and will use to both unsettle and refocus us at LifeWay for the vision and mission to which he has called us - a vision to live in and share the fullness of the life that he has given to us. Jesus closes the gate to all that would diminish our lives and opens the gate to a life that enables us to flourish and grow through every hinge moment we encounter, So today we will look at Growing through change.
#1 in our vision series: "Growing Pains"
Those of you who enjoy gardening and caring for plants, especially those that produce fruit and vegetables, will appreciate how important it is for those plants to have access to regular clean water, good fertile soil and deep roots that keep the plant firmly planted right where you, the gardener planted it.
The Bible describes those who delight in the Word and Law of the Lord as trees planted by streams of water. Healthy trees that bear fruit in every season.
Even when seasons change and the winds of change blow, those who remain in the Word of God are like plants with deep roots and strong healthy limbs that can get blown around but have both the strength and flexibility to endure in every season of change. That's what we'll explore today as we talk about remaining in the word, amidst the winds of change.
#4 in series: Winds of Change
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" as the saying goes. Why make something better when it is perfectly functional the way that it is now? Have you ever wondered that? Have you experienced the headache of installing an update for your phone or computer which promises to make your user experience so much easier, faster and enjoyable, only to discover that after downloading and installing the update, things now don't work like you expect and you wish you hadn't bothered.
Sometimes this is what it can feel like moving with the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit brings us the "resurrection life update", some of the old programming has to go. Some of the operating system that has been directing our lives up until that point needs to be re-written. These kinds of changes can feel uncomfortable; sometimes we wish God would just leave us alone and stop 'updating' us, we believe we were fine just the way we are. But God loves us too much just to leave us where we are, especially when he knows what fulness of life really is and what it would look like if we just embraced life on his terms. So, he gives us his Holy Spirit to guide us into that new life and to help us navigate the change from death, to life in Christ. That's what we'll explore more today as we talk about moving with the Spirit.
#3 in series: Winds of Change
"You're in!" There's nothing quite like recieving that kind of news. You're in the band, the musical, the team. Hopefully any of our recently graduated Yr 12 students are celebrating that they 'got in' to the university course of their choice after years of hard work. Being 'in' is something that we all strive for and at times the desire to 'fit in' or to be included and belong to something drives us to do things we might later regret. I'm sure each of us have photos that reflect some poor 'fashion' choices we adopted to 'fit in' back in the day.
Fitting in with others is a risky business; people's ideas and preferences change like the wind and in a society and culture as fickle as ours, what's 'in' one day can be 'out' the next.
The phrase 'in Christ' or 'through Christ' appears over 150 times in the New Testament. Being 'In Christ' is a significant part of what it means to be a Christian and the good thing about it is that the goalposts don't change. In fact, the criteria for getting 'in' don't even rely on you. So when your circumstances change and the places and groups you were once 'in' no longer accept you, there s always a place where you will be welcomed in - in Christ. That's what we're going to unpack today.
#2 in series: "Winds of Change"
"When the winds of change blow, some people build walls, while others build windmills." It's the translation of an old Chinese proverb that says some people respond to change as something to be resisted, while others see it as an opportunity. Maybe you know the truth of that! Sometimes change hits us rapidly and gives us little time to adjust. The sudden or unexpected death of a loved one, or the unexpected termination of employment. For us at LifeWay, change in our Leadership after many years of consistency. At times like this, it is common to seek some kind of shelter from the chaos and change. At other times, like on a hot summer afternoon, a 'change' carried on the ocean breeze is a welcome thing and something we long for, it brings relief and comfort from the oppressive heat of a sweltering summer's day.
Today we unpack what it means to 'Rest in the Father' in the midst of the change and chaos that life can bring. God shows us that he is both our shelter in the storm, and also the cool summer breeze that brings comfort in the midst of the change.
#1 in series: Winds of Change
Most of us have had the experience of sharing a house with others. Maybe you had housemates and lived in shared accommodation when you first moved out of home and perhaps went to further study? Maybe your only experience of sharing a house has been living together with your family, your parents and siblings, or your spouse.
Sometimes living with others is a real joy, their company and conversation can be a real blessing, especially on days when you would otherwise feel alone. And yet, live with someone long enough, and you inevitably discover some of their behavioural quirks and annoying habits which can begin to really tick you off.
At Christmas, God moved in. And like any housemate, there are days we are glad about that, he brings tidings comfort and joy, as the Christmas Carol says. But God also wants to rearrange the furniture of our lives, to make more room for himself to live in us and sometimes that gets uncomfortable and we can resent that. So how do we delight everyday that God now lives with us? That's what we're going to discover today.
#7 and final in series: "Christmas V.I.P."
CHRISTMAS DAY
Christmas is a time for gifts. A time for giving and a time for receiving. Some gifts surprise us by the thought that is given. Some gifts we think immediately of who we can regift too and wonder what the giver was thinking. Sometimes we reflect on the gifts that we didn't ask for -dreams that once unwrapped were broken, illnesses that were thrust into our lives that were not wanted, prayers offered that were met with silence, grief which caught us unawares and left us in tears. The surprise bill that turned up unannounced that caused incredible worry, news that you had eagerly anticipated that left you devastated or disillusioned. These are the kind of gifts that we wish contained a gift receipt, so we could swap them for something more desirable or receive a cash refund for, so at least we could get something that was covered in glittery wrapping paper or contained answers that were wrapped with colourful ribbon. They are the gifts that we wish we could bundle up in a post-pack and return to sender, for they don't feel like a gift at all. This Christmas God has a gift tfor you that a lot of thought has been put into; a gift that is personal, costly and deilvered with love. It's a gift that God invites you to receive with joy and use daily. We will look at that gift today.
#6 in series: Christmas VIP
CHRISTMAS EVE
Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt. Do you feel that way about Christmas? You’ve already experienced it, you’re so familiar with it that you are not really surprised or overwhelmed by the conception, planning and execution that it took to pull off the first part of the greatest moment that would change the trajectory for each and every person. When the time was right, God invited ordinary people who were very important to him, to be a part of the event that would change the world, and shape eternity; to experience the fullness of love that is unimaginable and incomprehensible. It's good news of great joy for all the world. God is here now.
#5 in series: Christmas VIP