Last week we had the privilege of visiting the Bridge Christian Community in Arklow, County Wicklow, Ireland. This non-denominational church had very much the same ‘feel’ and vision as our church, even down to the fact they moved into a new building four years ago and spent time renovating the building! Their aims were summarised as:
-
To have a significant impact on the spiritual, moral, social & economic healing of the area.
-
To play our part in the national and world-wide mission of the church.
-
To provide a community centre facility for Arklow.
and they too see their name as significant in living out those aims: ‘Our name reflects much of this vision. We aim to be a Bridge between people and God, as well as between people of different backgrounds and between our locality and the rest of the world. We are devoted to the Christian faith as revealed in the Word of God, the Bible, and we believe this is best lived out together in a Community of faith. We are linked together with other churches that share a similar vision across Ireland and abroad.’
Last week’s sermon was on Titus 2:11-14 and was given by Robert Holden. Everything in the Christian life starts with God’s grace which has appeared to us and brings salvation to us. We don’t deserve it; we cannot earn it, but through it we find wholeness, freedom and healing and this grace is available to all people (not just those we like!) God’s grace urges us to turn away from ungodliness and sinful pleasures, recognising that whilst some things are clearly forbidden by God, we need to walk closely with Him to hear what He is asking of us individually. We are to turn to self-control and right conduct and devotion to God, for the Christian faith is not all about ‘thou shalt not’ but is an invitation to right living – with that ‘right living’ defined by God. We need godly wisdom to make good decisions and to live as He wants us to.
This is only possible when we realise that we also have a future hope. Christ’s first appearance heralded grace but His second coming will reveal perfection (as we have been studying in 1 John 3:1-3.) Jesus gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us and make us His very own people who are totally committed to doing what is right. That cleansing is given us through His Word, through His blood and through the Holy Spirit, for we are a chosen people, as Peter reminds us.
We even got to sing ‘Build Your Kingdom Here’ (Rend Collective) during the service – fitting to do an Irish song in Ireland, we thought!