We are Believers
Tonight we looked at the fact that our identity as God’s people is that of believers. Jesus was asked ‘What must we do to do the work God requires?’ (John 6:28) and HIs answer was that the work of God is to believe in the One He has sent. (John 6:29) Our identity is primarily not associated with doing, but with believing and trusting God.
God is primarily interested in our relationship with Him rather than merely giving us rules and regulations to follow. Faith is what sets us apart from other groups and in this respect, Abraham is our father, since it was his trust in God’s promises (and God’s ability to fulfil those promises) which set him apart and made God declare him righteous (see Romans 4.) To believe in Jesus means that we put our whole weight upon His shoulders and take Him at His word. Here are three of the benefits of faith:
1. Freedom from worry and anxiety, because we know God loves us and provides for us (see Matt 6:25-34, John 14:1, Luke 11:11-13)
2. Access to the power of God (John 14:12, Eph 1:18-19)
3. The ability to overcome (see Rom 8:37, 1 John 5:5)
We are called to believe God’s promises (even when we cannot see how He will fulfil these) and to trust Him even when we cannot understand what He is doing. A life of faith is what defines God’s people; believers is what we are called to be!
The Bible
Yesterday in our Bible discussion, we looked at the importance of the Bible itself to Christians. This book, compiled over centuries, is the guiding light for believers and gives us God’s revelation of Himself. It’s one thing to know facts about the Bible (Jeremiah is the longest book in terms of number of words, with 3 John the shortest, for example), but what really matters is that this is a living word which is inspired by God (‘God-breathed‘) as Heb 4:12 and 2 Tim 3:16-17 make plain.
The Bible is effectively God’s love story to us. It comprises many different styles of writing (prose, poetry, narrative, story, allegory, parables) and can be difficult to read initially (especially the long lists of unfamiliar names or rules set out in Leviticus). Nonetheless, this word speaks life to us as it points to Jesus and God’s plan of salvation and redemption for us all, and as such, is one of the most powerful weapons in a believer’s hand. (Eph 6:10-20)
Thanks to modern technology, we can read the Bible nowadays in different ways – as a book or digitally on a Kindle or tablet or mobile phone. We can listen to the Bible on audio books. We are in a privileged position, as there are many different versions to read from. It’s time to read!
We then enjoyed a fellowship meal together.
Macmillan Coffee Morning
We had a lovely morning today at our coffee morning, which raised £92.10 for the Macmillan cancer charity. Our thanks to Bev, Julie, Stacey and Beckie for baking and to Janet and Sue for their help in serving drinks and washing up!
The Psalms of David
Last night we looked at some of the psalms written by David as we drew our studies on his life to a close. David wrote 73 of the 150 psalms, but these are scattered throughout the whole book and are not in any chronological or thematic order (reminding us that life cannot always be neatly packaged!) We see psalms of celebration and rejoicing, psalms of quiet trust, psalms of lament and complaint, Messianic prophetic psalms and much more.
We looked at Psalm 37, Psalm 145, Psalm 139 and Psalm 140 in some detail, reminding ourselves of God’s nature, how there are only two kinds of people (the righteous and the wicked) and how God works on our behalf. We looked at the fact we are made in God’s image and knit together in our mother’s womb and how this gives us worth and dignity beyond our own understanding. The fact that God is in sovereign control of our world means we do not need to fret or worry, but are called to live a life of trust.
The Psalms form the prayer book and song book of the Bible and remind us of the first rule of relationship with God: communication. David’s psalms show us him praying in all situations (good and bad), not withdrawing when bewildered and hurt and confused, but bringing all his feelings to God.
The Psalms remind us also of objective truth. David focuses our attention on the truth of who God is and what He does and has done. He gives us an objectivity (in poetic language) we can cling to. By reiterating truth in all situations, we are anchored to God. By doing this in the form of poetry and song, he allows head and heart to be aligned together, and thus integrity, congruence and wholeness are maintained.
The Psalms also remind us that worship involves a choice. So often, David says ‘I will bless the Lord’, ‘I will praise the Lord’, ‘I will exalt the Lord.’ We choose how we respond to life; may we respond as he did with praise, worship, surrender and trust.
Dearne Community Arts’ Festival
We had another wonderful day at the Dearne Community Arts’ Festival on 27 September at Astrea Academy Dearne. There were exhibitions of many different arts and crats.
There were some wonderful performances on stage from Greentop Circus, Alejandro Barnett, BYC Children’s Choir East, Astrea Academy Dearne pupils, Story Trails and Clayton School of Dance.
We enjoyed fantastic workshops exploring a range of arts and crafts.
We loved our new DCAF deckchair and all the photo opportunities.
We also loved showing the film ‘The Town I Love So Well’ by Sam Batley at the festival.
Our thanks to Better Barnsley Bond, Coalfields Regeneration Trust, Love Where You Live and Tesco Stronger Starts for funding the event and to GXO volunteers for their help on the day.
Where Do You Live?
Tonight we looked at the question ‘Where do you live?’ and saw from Ephesians 2:1-10 that we not only inhabit our physical world (living in a particular place locally) but are also seated with Christ in heavenly realms. This is not simply a future hope but a present reality, and the perspective which that brings has the power to transform our lives, just as being in an elevated position (a child on a parent’s shoulders, climbing a mountain or flying in an aeroplane) gives us a totally different perspective to the ‘shuffling around, looking down at the ground, totally absorbed in the things around us’ perspective so many of us have, as the Message version paraphrases Col 3:1-4.
Paul shows us how our lives have been transformed by Christ. Once we were dead in transgressions and sins; now because of God’s mercy and kindness we have been given life and therefore have hope, a glorious inheritance and the same power which raised Christ from the dead available to us (see Eph 1:18-19). When we realise the difference our dual citizenship brings us, we can be people who confidently expect God to work on our behalf and in our lives, church and community. Living with hope and expectation and anticipation brings meaning and positivity into the ordinary physical, material world.
In the Harry Potter series of books, one of the characters, Hermione, has what to others looks like an impossible school timetable, where she is in two or more places at the same time (something only God can do!) It turns out she has been given a ‘time-turner’, a magical device that enables her to go back in time. (‘The Prisoner of Azkaban’, J. K. Rowling) We may not be able to be physically in two places at once, but the truth is that we do actually live in two places at the same time: here on earth, and also seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. Let’s look up – and if we find it hard to look up, let’s remember that the Lord is a shield around us, the One who lifts our head high. (Ps 3:3) God can lift us up when we are cast down and enable us to live here with our eyes also fixed on the eternal city to come.
