Calling: Jesus the teacher.
Jesus spent his whole ministry teaching his disciples and the crowds what it meant to follow him. In those day it was not uncommon to gather around a rabbi’s teaching, but what Jesus taught WAS uncommon. His kingdom doesn’t always sound like the solid ground we want to build our lives on, which is what the Wise and Foolish builder parable at the end of Sermon on the Mount was supposed to illustrate. Do we want to believe that meekness, service, self-sacrificing and peacemaking are the key to following him? Loving our enemies? Not always our favorite, most easily applied parts of the gospel. And yet any path to unity that includes diversity must understand the real kingdom work of learning how to overcome our fallen, human, tribal conflict patterns, and find His path back to love.
By Hannah Flint
Calling: Jesus the pastor.
The term ‘pastor’ is Latin for poimén (poy-mane') meaning shepherd. The mixed imagery around Shepherds included symbolism for leaders and rulers. Moses is said to have led God’s people out of Egypt “like a flock”. Elsewhere, the Prophet Jeremiah attacks leaders who have mismanaged God’s flock and led the people astray. From writings in the Ancient Near East to Greek epics, shepherds were a common figure for rulers. But among God’s people, it wasn’t so much about ruling, it was about caring. When Jesus arrived he was moved with compassion for a helpless and troubled people who had no shepherd. He comes to be the good, perfectly ideal, and beautiful shepherd that we all need. He pastors us with personal care, intimate knowledge, and wise guidance. We belong to Jesus the Chief Shepherd from whom we learn how to exercise our pastoral calling. As we give ourselves over to God’s good shepherding, his care and compassion drive us into the fullness of life in him.
By Raul Sandoval
Calling: Jesus the apostle.
The word apostle derives from a greek word simply meaning ’sent out person’. In the first century Roman world it meant more than being a messenger, it connoted authority. An apostle was someone who spoke and acted on behalf of someone with power. As Christians we are all sent out, but those with an apostolic calling are those who tend to spend their lives breaking new ground, or planting churches, or starting fresh initiatives. They are the entrepreneurs of the church. Jesus was the archetypal sent one. His mission, as emphatically displayed at his Transfiguration, was to bring heaven and earth together. This is the mission of every apostle following Jesus. No less, no more. No less because the Christian faith is not about patiently waiting to escape this world and get to heaven. No more, because it is not about forcibly imposing God’s rule on the world. It is about continuing Jesus' mission to heal the sick, set the oppressed free, and proclaim the age of God’s goodness. To do this we need conviction - this comes from the assurance of our Father, our friends, and the Holy Spirit. In his power we can carry on, in part, the apostolic work of Jesus and see heaven come to earth.
By Ed Flint
Calling: Jesus the evangelist.
The word evangelism derives from the greek word Evangelion - Good news. So an evangelist is someone who brings news. Evangelists are not primarily teaching, and they are not primarily prophesying, they are primarily announcing - that’s what you do with news. So if, for instance you tell someone who doesn’t yet believe that they are going to burn in the fiery fires of hell you are not evangelizing, because that is not good news. That’s bad news. If you teach someone who doesn’t yet believe about Christian sexual ethics that is also not evangelizing, because that is teaching. To evangelize is to announce something wonderful - Jesus. It’s as simple as that. Today we consider a couple of times Jesus does exactly that - announce himself to a world in need.
By Ed Flint
Advent: Destined for joy.
The announcement of Jesus’ arrival comes to an unlikely group: the shepherds. This rag-tag group were often looked down on, forgotten, and considered to be far from religious or noble. Yet the greatest announcement in the history of the world comes to them, not to the rich and powerful but to the lowly shepherds. It suggests to us that God hasn’t forgotten the least of us – to him, we are unforgettable. We are favored, not forgotten by the Messiah who ushers in the age of favor and forgiveness. When we grasp it, it causes joy in us to overflow. Joy that sustains in hardship. Joy that is rooted in God’s faithfulness. We were destined for joy.
By Raul Sandval
Advent: God with us.
When we’re able to strip back the overly-familiar parts of the story of Christmas it reveals the heart of the Christian faith. Something isn’t quite right with us and our world. We’re not always the people we want to be. And we’ve not always treated ourselves, other people and our world as we should. As silly as it may sound, is not our recent entertainment of going ‘full on goblin mode’, at least in part an admittance that everything else we’ve tried to bring happiness and self-actualisation hasn’t quite got us to where we want to go? Christmas says what we’re in need of is not something from within us, but something from without. It’s the story of God coming in search of his people. He’s come to love us into full existence. It’s only when we know his love revealed in the person of his Son Jesus that we won’t want to ever be anyone else again. And it’s his love that lifts us up into healing, forgiveness, purpose and meaning. He it is who we’re looking for. It’s why we celebrate. We’re not alone. God is with us.
By Ed Flint
Advent: Peace.
We don’t always do the church calendar thing, but sometimes it does seem to know a thing or two. Advent is all about allow ourselves to enter into the time of waiting that was the Hebrews existence for hundreds and hundreds of years. They know the messiah was coming to be the Prince of Peace, but they weren’t expecting the way he came to do it. We are not promised a peaceful life (ie - a life free of violence, persecution, conflict of tribulation) but we are promised the peace of his presence, that surpasses all understanding.
By Hannah Flint
Advent: Hope in the dark.
This is the first Sunday of Advent. This time of year we reflect and celebrate the arrival of Jesus. He came into the world not to judge it but to renew it. The time leading up to his arrival was a dark one characterized by rebellion, injustice and a longing for wholeness. In the mist of this less than ideal scenario we read of Jesus’ coming as the one who brings light into the darkness. He does this in our lives, he runs into the darkness. His embodied presence and creative power means that we’re not overtaken by it because his light shines on us. This is our hope and it grows as we worship the One who can never be put out by the darkness.
By Raul Sandoval
Giving & Vision Pt. 2
We’re called to be generous with our money. This week we consider the specific subject of giving money to the church. The New Testament knows nothing of solitary Christianity: to be a Christian is to be the church. It is you and you are it. We cannot escape it (as much as we might like!). So giving to the church is about giving to something we are intrinsically part of. It is a cognitive dissonance to hold back part of ourselves from who we are. There’s more: the church is not just us and ours, it’s also Christ’s. He is the head of the church. When we give to the church we are investing in Jesus. And we are investing in his eternal, infinite, perfect kingdom. There is no better use of money. His kingdom is one of beautiful powerful unified diversity. When we give we are giving to promote and grow the full representation of the people of God- where everyone matters and all have a role to play. The more we operate and develop in our God-given gifts, the more the church looks like and does the things of Jesus.
By Ed Flint
Giving & Vision Pt. 1
Twice a year we dedicate two services to the subject of money and generosity. Jesus’ proclamation at the beginning of his ministry was to announce God’s age of favor for humankind. He has come to make us happy. But, in contrast to what culture has often proclaimed, Jesus knows that happiness and wealth are not intrinsically linked. In his parable of the talents, Jesus teaches that all money belongs to God which he distributes as he wishes. Our job is to hold lightly to what we have been given, not compare what we receive to others, but use it all for the building of God’s kingdom, and give it back to him. The more we do so the more we will receive from God - not financially, but in terms of kingdom-building responsibility. This is where we enter into God’s rest and experience his joy, favor and happiness.
By Ed Flint
If Jesus is supreme, you'll be prayerful.
Paul’s final call to the Colossians is to stay devoted to prayer. As modeled by Jesus, prayer isn’t a boring religious duty, but a natural outgrowth of love for God. In this talk, we’ll dig into what prayer is, how we need the Spirit to do it, and why it can transform a community.
By Nelly D’Alessandro
If Jesus is supreme, you'll be alive.
Our friend and co-founder Alice returned to us from London (not for long, but we’ll take what we can get) to speak about what peace and submission look like in Jesus-centered community. In Paul’s day, power imbalances between husband and wives, slaves and masters and parents and child may have looked a little different to how they do today, but the driving force behind them remain the same; we give up power we follow Jesus. And when we do so we always win.
By Alice Colwell
If Jesus is supreme, you'll be free.
The rules of human wisdom lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence, says Paul at the end of Colossians 2. Only Jesus, and what he has done, can solve the problem of your flesh. This weeks talk examines how mystics and aesthetics have, throughout the ages, gone to great lengths to receive more of god, which raises the question, why is it that when we are weakest, we are strong? This one is for those of us who feel stuck and backed into corners right now. Be encouraged.
By Hannah Flint
If Jesus is supreme, you'll be full.
The letter of Colossians was written to a people pulled in many directions by tricksters and gnostics saying the same thing: “You only have half of what you need. You’re half full.” Truthfully, life and the world can often press this same message upon us. Is it true? Its the age-old message that can lead us to fill ourselves with things we need when in reality, Jesus is the antidote for any sense of emptiness we may have. Jesus makes empty people full. This is what he’s done from the very beginning. He invites us to live full in him but it means we need to make him the center. As we do, he grows us and we become more full of his life, love, and joy.
By Raul Sandoval
Hope and help during times of tumult and transition.
Guest speaker and good friend Robin Morrison brought us a fantastic word about having hope and help during times of tumult and transition (hands up anyone who’s NOT in a time of transition right now!) He brings wisdom and insight on how to deal with delays, disappointments and dead-ends with his usual trademark style and grace
By Robin Morrison
If Jesus is Supreme: Intro to Colossians.
We’re all called to mature our faith. Paul’s letter is a roadmap to maturity. In his introduction he sets out the foundations for the journey. The starting point is the grace of Jesus (1:2), the supreme authority in life and the universe. The Colossians have truly understood grace (1:6) and so must we. Let us not water it down or compromise it. Because the degree to which become experts in the full knowledge and understating of grace is the degree to which we are able to let Jesus’ supremacy rule over our whole lives. In turn, the more we allow Jesus to reign supreme the more our lives will reflect his character and the more we will mature. Jesus is the beginning, middle and end of the journey.
By Ed Flint
Jesus with the powerful.
Jesus and the powerful. Whilst it is true that Jesus spent the majority of his time with the poor, the downtrodden and the marginalized, it is not true that he was therefore against the powerful, influential or rich. Indeed he welcomes powerful people to himself, receives support from the rich, and those who follow him instruct us to pray for our leaders. What he does stand against though, is all forms of pride - religious, social, economic and self-related. Because pride is a barrier to entry into his kingdom of life. Humility is the only way in. Godly humility looks like Jesus. It is neither self-denial, nor self-aggrandizement. Rather it is an acceptance of our gifts and talents, and a receiving of God’s honor towards us - and a submission of our self and our ability to use in his kingdom.
By Ed Flint
Jesus with sinners.
Sin is everyone’s favorite word, but i’m not always sure we have the right spin on it. Sin is all the ways in which we’re not orientated towards the loving ways of God’s kingdom. We’re all caught up in those all the time, but ‘obedience’ to his ways changes its meaning entirely when we learn to come back to the love.
By Hannah Flint
Jesus with the demonized.
It’s easy to go to extremes in our beliefs about supernatural evil - some become unhealthily obsessed, whilst others can dismiss its existence entirely. In order to be true to the New Testament we must acknowledge both that the demonic exists, but also that this doesn’t now mean all our problems are the result of demons. In fact demonization tends to be relatively rare. When someone is being delivered from the demonic, it is very obvious, so we don’t need to search for demons, demons, everywhere! We can relax!
What Jesus’ deliverance ministry does remind us though is that we live in the midst of a battle. The devil will use anything - the brokenness of our parents, our religious leaders, our friends and fellow believers, and especially ourselves - to steal the life from us. But Jesus is victorious over it all. He is the one who sets us free from all the pain of the past. Let us allow him to be the king of his kingdom and welcome his deliverance from the old and his welcome into the new.
By Ed Flint
Jesus with His Genté.
Jesus’ hometown people would have known him and watched him grow. They had a shared experience of agricultural living under foreign rule so when Jesus makes the announcement of Kingdom, his genté (people) would’ve expected nothing less than special favors and treatment from the local teacher. We’re not immune from this. We may often face temptation to fit Jesus into our designs and cubes as well as make special demands from him. In doing so, we miss the exciting and redemptive truth that it’s not us who fit God into our designs, He’s the one who fits us into his unfolding story or renewal. The new community of Jesus, His new genté, are those who are open to the presence and activity of the Spirit. This is who we are. So let us surrender to the Spirit and the renewal that he wants to bring both in our lives and the world around us.
By Raul Sandoval