In this Bible talk, Ken Noakes look at what is written to the church of Corinth about how spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit for a purpose. Misused, these gifts and our attitude toward those who don’t seem to have the same gifts, can cause us to become prideful and feel superior to others spiritually. That should not be. We are reminded that each gift from the Holy Spirit is used for serving each other, for the common good, while glorifying the Lord. It is not for ranking each other spiritually.
In the letter of 1 Corinthians the Apostle Paul has been addressing numerous matters to help the Christians in Corinth consider how they live for Christ – both before the world, and within the church family.
In this talk Ken Noakes looks at the rebuke that is written to the church of Corinth because of their selfishness has hurt their fellowship. He focuses on the way that they share in the Lord’s Supper. There are lessons for the church today. The Lord’s Supper should humble us as we remember Christ’s death and proclaim his coming again. When you remember Christ’s death, and where he is taking us, there is no room for a pecking order, or being concerned with social status, or competing with each other. As a result, we must examine ourselves (11:28) and wait for one another (11:34).
This talk will also help us thing about how we deal with division within the church family.
In the letter of 1 Corinthians the Apostle Paul has been addressing numerous matters to help the Christians in Corinth consider how they live for Christ – both before the world, and within the church family.
Previously in this series we have considered what Paul has said about Christian freedoms as taught in chapters 8-10. In this talk we turn our attention to how Christians should live together as a church family – and there are several matters which will be addressed from Chapters 11 through to 14 which all relate to what happening in a specific church gathering. We start with the first half of chapter 11 which speaks in particular to those who are married within a church family.
As a society we have never had more freedom – yet we use that freedom to serve ourselves. The Corinthian Church know they are free in Christ. Yet they use this freedom to love themselves and not others. How will we, who are free in Christ, use our freedom? Will we follow our society and the Corinthian Church by loving ourselves? Or will we use our freedom to build up the church in love?
In this Bible Talk, Ken Noakes looks how our ‘age of entitlement’ in fact limits our personal entitlements. And for the Christian person there are key responsibilities that come with our gospel entitlement.
As a society we have never had more freedom, yet we often use that freedom to serve ourselves. The Corinthian Church know they are free in Christ, but they use this freedom to love themselves and not others. How will we, who are free in Christ, use our freedom? Will we follow our society and the Corinthian Church by loving ourselves? Or will we use our freedom to build up the church in love?
In this Bible Talk, Nick Lindeback looks at the how some actions are permissible for the Christian person and not not inherently sinful, but in exercising that action may cause others to stumble (thus sin) in their faith. The point: consider whether your actions are loving to other fellow Christians before doing them.
The final talk in our Matthew 8-10 Bible Talk series. In this talk, Bishop Gary Koo considers the costs that comes with following Jesus. As Jesus sends his disciples out into the world, he makes no promises that they will find it easy, but he does promise that it will be worth it. And he wants them to be ready.
In this Bible talk, Gary Haddon, speaks about how Jesus had compassion on those who did not know him, those who were lost. And how Jesus helped his disciples to see the need, pray and then go and show them Jesus. Do as I have said and done – save the lost sheep of Israel. Save those who have long awaited the kingdom of heaven, and waited for their messiah, their good shepherd – for in Jesus, the time had come.
How do disciples today, proclaim the good news, not as an apostle, but as a disciple commissioned by Jesus to go out to the nations.
Whilst Jesus appears to have the power to do anything, he uses it to demonstrate his compassion on all who come (regardless of their station in life) – and the outcome: faith. In this talk, Dave Swan, considers how Jesus shows his goodness and compassion to those who had faith during his time on earth, and they were healed. Just like those who met Jesus during his time as a man, everyone should also put their faith in him and trust his goodness. Not everyone does.
Whilst not a book that helped me be less busy, it is a book that helped me to be well-directed in my busyness – and that is Ian Carmichael’s stated goal.
Over eleven quick chapters, Ian takes us through a systematic treatment of a biblical view of work and rest. Each chapter finishing with a set of reflection questions (helpful if reading this book individually, with someone, or using it as a discussion guide for a group) and then a progressive chapter by chapter summary (helpful when returning to each chapter). At times it is most insightful, both on the biblical text and of the culture that shapes me (and feels very ‘busy’). Across the book we move from theology to application. And with this biblical framework, Ian suggested ways for me to make day-to-day decisions about what I make myself busy with – so that I might be effectively gospel minded with my time, relationships and energy (the time and relationships audit is a helpful tool).
If you read this, make sure you read the footnotes where Ian’s refreshing and self-depreciating sense of humour emerges most clearly. And whilst the book finishes on page 135, there are another 46 pages with three very valuable appendices on a) Paid Employment (with some helpful comments about vocation and calling), b) Church (often a source of Christian busyness), and c) Family Life (which can rightly and wrongly make us busy).
Do yourself a favour. Buy this book. And make some time to read it with a friend.
Jesus is confounding. Reading through the Gospel of Matthew, we see Jesus do some extraordinary things and the result is that some follow and some turn their backs on him. That is not so different from today. We often expect the extraordinary before we allow ourselves to believe something. As such we settle for the normal and mundane, all the while wishing for the extraordinary. Jesus came into the normal and mundane, but he did that which was extraordinary. He does what we hope by doing what we find hard to believe! How confounding.
In this Bible Talk, Gary Haddon looks at how Jesus’ mission was to save sinners, not the righteous (or those who think that they are righteous!) – after all “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick”. Yet how do we know that Jesus could indeed save sinners?
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