Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. Desmond Tutu The Bible Narrative is one of hope. It starts and ends with KINGDOM - humans ruling and reigning, in the presence of God. Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” Genesis 2:7-10 Then the LORD God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being. The LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he placed the man he had formed. The LORD God caused to grow out of the ground every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden, as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river went out from Eden to water the garden. Genesis 2:15-17 The LORD God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” Revelation 22:1-5 ​Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the city’s main street. The tree of life was on each side of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations, and there will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Night will be no more; people will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light, and they will reign forever and ever. The Bible starts well, and ends well, from garden to garden city. The similarity in imagery in Eden and in John's Revelation is striking. In between these bookends, we have the story of man's REBELLION, God's RESCUE mission, man's RESPONSE and a RESURRECTION for all creation. REBELLION Most of us know the story of the fall well. Genesis 3. The choice to go against the word of God and follow the word of the snake. The consequence? Death. Not immediate physical death. Rather a state of living death. There was relational "death" between the humans themselves, and between them and God. There was a spiritual "death" in the sense that there was a moral and spiritual separation from God. Paul calls this being dead in sin (Eph 2, Col 2), and a physical death - a split between the dust and the divine breath from Gen 2. This is the reality of this present age - a state of living death. We are alive, but not in the way we were created to be. RESCUE God's rescue mission, to bring life. The good news of the King: Jesus comes as the Messiah, promised King, to reverse this and start setting things right. But he does it in the most unexpected way - he goes to face death on the cross. Jesus had to be human to die. He had to die to defeat death. And he had to be raised to life to offer eternal life. John 3:16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life Colossians 1:13 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. Jesus calls people to repent - to pay attention, because he is bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth. He demands a response, and that response means a drastic re-organization. Of everything. - In the first century, believer didn’t just mean someone who heard and agreed with Jesus; it meant someone who acted on that belief. That's why believers, like Paul, were accused of turning the world upside down. RESPONSE Who is Jesus to you? Believing in Jesus as your King sets you on a TRAJECTORY to eternal life Paul unpacks it this way: 4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, 7 since a person who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, 9 because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over him. 10 For the death he died, he died to sin once for all time; but the life he lives, he lives to God. Romans 6:4-10 In other words, there is a newness of life now but a we will be then - the resurrection RESURRECTION The resurrection is not going to heaven. It's not life after death. It's life after life after death as N.T. Wright and others would say. It follows something called the INTERMEDIATE STATE. It's a little of hard to explain and the New Testament writes don't say too much about it, but the idea is that this is the place the immaterial part of you is between physical death, and the coming resurrection, when Jesus returns, and everything is made new. It is something temporary, perhaps like an airport lounge. Believers are ‘with Christ’ - Paul writes about being with Christ (Phil 1:21-23. John writes about the souls of martyrs (Rev 6:9-10), who are vocal. Unbelievers - not to hell, but rather in Sheol (Hb) Hades (Gk ) - the place where the dead go, basically - the grave. We have no real clue if this is a conscious state or not. Side notes 1. it appears in the OT that both righteous and unrighteous go to Sheol, but in the NT, only the unrighteous, as the righteous are with Christ. Some hold that the OT righteous were taken up with Christ at his resurrection. 2. "hades" is unhelpfully translated as “hell” in some versions of the Bible, which makes this a little confusing 3. Purgatory - from Roman Catholicism, the idea is that those who have been baptized in the church but compromised by sin must spend time in purgatory, a process leading to purification to be able to later go in to God's presence. The time in this process is said to be able to be shortened by the prayers of others, and by financial contribution to the church. Purgatory is not in the Bible, and in essence means Jesus work on the cross was not enough to make a person righteous. AGE TO COME Now we get to the resurrection. This is when Jesus returns to bring his Kingdom in fullness, when the dead are raised, there is the final judgement, and the new heavens and new earth that we read about in Revelation come to be. Jesus spoke about it this way: . John 5:25-29 28 Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear his voice 29 and come out ​— ​those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of condemnation. ON the resurrection of life It seems the enemy loves to portray heaven, as boring. Perhaps this is where the idea of clouds and harps come from. Really though, the new creation is the setting unimaginable joy. the Bible teaches that our forever home will be here, on earth! Yes, the new heavens and new earth, but many hold that this is a different quality of what is already here, rather than something completely new. I like this view, because it tracks what Paul writes about creation itself being set free (Rom 8:21) We’ll reign over a resurrected universe, centered on a resurrected earth, with its capital city the resurrected Jerusalem We will eat, drink, work, play, worship, discover, invent, travel. Civilization will be resurrected, including human cultures with distinctive ethnic traits. There will be both resurrected nature and human culture. Together these elements combine to distinguish the eternal state, where God will come down and live with his people…because God is infinitely great and gracious, new creation is the ultimate adventure while hell is the ultimate sinkhole R. Alcorn ON the resurrection of condemnation In the OT, there is imagery of God's fiery judgement consuming evil Mal 4:1, Zeph 3:8. In the New Testament, there are or 8 mentions, mostly by Jesus, of hell. He talks about the fire of hell, thrown into hell, destroyed in hell (i.e. loss of purpose, ruined), judgement of hell, eternal fire, darkness, remorse, sadness. The word itself is "gehenna" in Greek and refers to a valley (Ben Hinnom) in SW Jerusalem where child sacrifices were performed in time gone by - basically an awful place. 2 Chron 28 (Ahaz), Jer 19. In Revelation, the word hell is never used, but there is reference to a lake of fire. So, there is imagery, metaphor and a literal place. Paul writes about an eternal relational separation from God 2 The 1:9Given what John writes about Hades giving up the dead, it's not likely that there is anyone in the literal hell yet. 12 I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. 13 Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; each one was judged according to their works. 14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. Revelation 20:12-14 How can a God of love send people there, many ask. Here are some thoughts: God doesn't send anyone there! Getting there is a result of a willful choice to be independent and reject his RESCUE mission. Rather, God desires everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9) Hell is an eternal continuation of the present state of living death. It is a result of an entire life trajectory, and hence not a surprise. It is a necessity for true freedom. There must also be the possibility love can be rejected, otherwise it is control. These two passages from C.S. Lewis give great perspective: "In the long run the answer to all those who object to the doctrine of hell, is itself a question: What are you asking God to do? To wipe out their past sins and, at all costs, to give them a fresh start, smoothing every difficulty and offering every miraculous help? But He has done so, on Calvary. To forgive them? They will not [refuse to] be forgiven. To leave them alone? Alas, I am afraid that is what He does." The Problem of Pain “There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.” The Great Divorce RESPONSE Jesus always answered questions with questions… When we ask things like "What about the people who die without hearing the Gospel?" It's a fair question, but I wonder if Jesus might not bring it back to "What about you?" I think it's important to see that how we respond to the Gospel, the good news of the King and his Kingdom determines whether we continue in a state of living death, to eternal death, or whether we begin a trajectory of eternal life. The former, in a place of eternal boredom and suffering, somewhere outside the city, or the latter, in the new heavens, and new earth, where their is endless joy, healing and life. These are both present and future realities. Jesus, the King, offers us the newness of life now. The new way of being human. The Jesus way. The Spirit empowered way. We can live in the present age as people called to that future age to come, people called to live in the present in the light of that future hope. I love this line from the song Magnificent Trinity, especially since today is Pentecost Sunday, and here we are a little over 2000 years later, preaching the same Gospel - the Good news of the King, calling people to give their allegiance to him and bring some of his future into the present. It’s the gift of the Father to fill us with his love, and clothe us with power, to do the things he does Previous Post: https://www.freechurch.life/post/raised-to-life-part-1

Here are links to listen to or watch the full message. This week has been TOUGH! And not just for Liverpool fans.... The headlines have been tragic, like the school shooting in the US and the GBV and corruption stories back home. Many in the community are dealing with loss, sickness and all kinds of challenges. "Where is God?" "Is he in control?" "How can he let this happen?" "What have I done to deserve this?" These are common questions that surface. One of the ways the Bible answers these questions is through the theme of Kingdom. A few weeks back, we began to dig into this theme. Here's a quick recap, using this image that we shared before. The top half of the image presents a relativity common view of what many people think the Bible teaches. Heaven is somewhere out there, in the clouds, perhaps. And hell is somewhere else. If you pass the test after you die, you will go to heaven. And if you don't, then.... This idea of going to heaven (or hell) when you die is not the main focus of the Bible narrative. You won't find the phrase "go to heaven" in the Bible. The bottom half of the image is a more accurate representation of the Biblical narrative. Heaven in the Bible can refer to the sky, but also to God's space - his dimension, the place where he is. Heaven is a present and future reality, and from what we see in Revelation 21, this dimension coming here, to earth - which is our space (dimension). Humans created in the image of God, and this is linked to ruling and reigning (Gen 1:26) Heaven & Earth were made to be united and will be united again (Rev 21) Sin is rebellion against God's Kingdom, a powerful force. (Gen 3, Rom 7:8) Sins are the actions/consequences that flow out of sin. We focus a lot on "sins" and therefore behavior management, but the core issue is sin. This caused a fracture between God's space, and our space. The cross deals with both sin and sins, and is central to the way that God is bringing these dimensions back together, under the reign of the true King - Jesus. What you think Jesus talked about most tells you a lot about how you see him. Jesus primary message is Repent, for the Kingdom of God/Heaven is at hand (Matt 4:17) Christ means Messiah, the Anointed King Gospel (Gk euangelion) means the good news of a King Kingdom (in the Bible) is not a geographical place but an encounter with the King; a yielding to His rule and reign On the cross, Jesus deals with sin and sins, defeats death, takes God's wrath upon himself, inaugurates the Kingdom, and in his resurrection begins the new creation We live in the Now and the not yet. In this age, the Kingdom has come, but is not complete. Hence the Kingdom is here, but not everywhere yet. Christ will return again to complete the Kingdom (Heb 9:28) to judge the living and the dead; we will all stand before God one day to give an account So, the goal is not to “go to heaven when you die”, but to repent, accept the invitation to be part of the Kingdom now, into eternity. (Rev 5:10) In this age, the Church - called out ones, are God’s choice to carry the Gospel, the evidence of the Kingdom To turn the world upside down then, is not to start a riot, but to set things right, according to the rule and reign of the good King. (Acts 17) Your view of all of this is so key. If you see that the theme of the Bible narrative and the Kingdom is one of restoration, redemption and a new creation, that everything is moving toward a resolution, that brings hope. And as many have said, what you hope for shapes what you live for. WHAT YOU HOPE FOR SHAPES WHAT YOU LIVE FOR Right back to the time of the New Testament authors, baptism was a way for followers of Jesus to declare what (or rather who) they live for. Paul - the one who was accused of "turning the world upside down" wrote about baptism in this way. Romans 6:1-5 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? 2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. This pattern of coming through the waters links right back to Genesis. An image of order being established from chaos, with the Spirit hovering over the waters. Genesis 1:9 Then God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear.” Then to Noah - the heavens opened and the earth flooded. A remnant rescued in an ark, out of the water. The old washed away. Genesis 7:18 The water surged and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. Next to Moses - but not the Red Sea just yet. A rescue from genocide in an ark - yes the Hebrew word for his basket {ta-va} is the same as Noah's ark. Exodus 2:5 Pharaoh’s daughter went down to bathe at the Nile while her servant girls walked along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds, sent her slave girl, took it, Now to the Red Sea - people being set free from slavery, passing through the water, and the water closing over their oppressors. Exodus 14:16 As for you, lift up your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. Interestingly, this just after this is the first time God is recognized as king (Exodus 15:18) Forty years later, time to cross over the Jordan river from the wilderness into the promises land. It's a replay of the Exodus. Joshua 3:16 The priests carrying the ark of the LORD’s covenant stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan. Then, the very people chosen to be God's people, bringing his rule and reign, reject God as king, and chose their own. Eventually, things spiral and Israel splits. Both North and South end in exile. In the midst of exile, Isaiah looks ahead to a day when the remannt will be rescued, brought through the water. Notice the language. Isaiah 11:11 On that day the Lord will extend his hand a second time to recover the remnant of his people who survive ​— ​from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the coasts and islands of the west Isaiah 11:15-16 The LORD will divide the Gulf of Suez. He will wave his hand over the Euphrates with his mighty wind and will split it into seven streams, letting people walk through on foot. 16 There will be a highway for the remnant of his people who will survive from Assyria, as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt. Skip ahead to the start of the New Testament, and we meet John the Baptist. He is fulfilling Isaiah's prophetic announcement of Israel’s restoration and deliverance. He is calling people to renew their covenant with God, by passing through the water. And not just any water - the Jordan river. It speaks of crossing the Jordan, a symbolic re-enactment, 1200 years after Joshua. A revival is underway. The Kingdom is here, and this time, for good. Matthew 3:1-6 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near! ” 3 For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said: A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight! 4 Now John had a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then people from Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the vicinity of the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins Then Jesus arrive on the scene, and is baptized by John, not because he had sinned and needed to repent, but because this is the beginning of his entry into the land, where he would drive out the enemy and take possession - like Israel was supposed to do 1200 years before. And in the baptism of Jesus, all the threads come together. The Spirit is there from Genesis. The voice of God too. The open heavens and dove from Noah, the went up immediately from Exodus and Joshua. Matthew 3:16-17 When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water. The heavens suddenly opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.” None of this is co-incidence. It is a developing story. Israel’s Messiah, the king is here, the old is being done away with, and a new era is tarting with this new-exodus. From here, Jesus is led to the wilderness, some say a picture linking back to Eden, but unlike the first Adam, Jesus overcomes temptation and emerges victorious. Matthew 4:17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Later on, Jesus speaks about another baptism - this time the water is death itself. Mark 10:38 Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup I drink or to be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with? ” As Jesus’ is raised to life, he launches start of God’s new creation through the water of death. He Inaugurates the kingdom, and invites sinners, by grace through faith to be part of the kingdom through his self giving substitution, and God's forgiveness. Then, he charges his followers, soon to become the Church, to spread this good news, to make disciples, and baptize them GREAT COMISSION Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 The New Testament authors, like Paul (who links baptism with the Exodus story (1 Cor 10:12)) and (who links baptism with the flood), would understood the significance of going through the waters all the way back to Genesis. It's why we read about people coming to faith and then getting baptized right away. It's why baptism is linked not just to Jesus’ own baptism, not just to the Exodus and to Genesis, to Jesus’ own death and resurrection. (Rom 6:1-5). Baptism is an identification: the old was crucified with Jesus , and now followers of Jesus raised to life - new life! It's going through the waters of death and following Jesus on the other side and into the new creation. It's why very early on, baptism was seen as the way into the Christian family, the new life of the church in the world in the now and the not yet. Baptism is DECLARATION that says, I am on this journey with you, part of God's story. in the church, this is our story, and it is your story and we are figuring it out together. It's why we celebrate baptism, as it profoundly says: This is who we are, this is what we hope for, and that shapes what we live for. People often ask Do I HAVE TO get baptized to go to heaven… i.e. is it a requirement for salvation? Technically no, but I wonder if the question is missing the point. Remember the top of half of the image right at the start? Think of it like this: You can go to watch a sports game at a stadium, without a supporters jersey. No one can tell which side you are supporting, and you can shout for whichever team you prefer. When you put a supporters jersey on, you are marked in a sense. Baptism takes it one step further. It's like getting your players jersey, and getting on to the field. You can mess up. You can make mistakes. But the story is moving to a resolution and this team has already secured the victory. It's better get out there and standard play your heart out, rather than sit on the sidelines and watch. Baptism is like that. It's saying, I'm all in. Our next Baptism Sunday will be coming up in a few weeks. Perhaps it's time for you to take this significant step? If so, please do get in touch? Follow up post (Part 2): https://www.freechurch.life/post/raised-to-life-part-ii

So often we tend to judge others based on our worldview, on our superior point of view, experiences, and morals - it becomes polarizing. Here's what we all have in common: we think we are right! When we are judged, we want to explain, defend, validate, and attack. We quickly can become Bible scholars… Jesus said you shouldn't judge, right?! Jesus has something to say about judging, but it might not be exactly what you think.   Message Notes 27/10/2024 - Gareth Nicholson Catch Up Links: YouTube   || Spotify   ||   iTunes 1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.  3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. 6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. Matthew 7:1-6 Why Jesus tells us not to judge with a posture of condemnation, control, discrimination, or superiority: We're not good judges We judge ourselves by our intentions while we judge others by their actions We can't see the heart! Matthew 7:1-2 (NIV) 1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. What Jesus says about being judgy! Do Don't 👍🏻 Show support, be present and involved 👎🏻 Be a bystander, ignore injustice or place a guilty verdict on someone 👍🏻 Seek justice and support the legal system 👎🏻 Abdicate responsibility for preventing harm 👍🏻 Honour a moral code 👎🏻 Condemn to control or to discriminate 👍🏻 Maximise the time between a trigger and a reaction (Key of spiritual formation) 👎🏻Be hypercritical - you will be treated with the same measure 👍🏻 Display a spirit of grace 👎🏻 Place yourself on a pedestal & find fault 👍🏻 Leave the rest up to God 👎🏻 Play God 1/ The Grace Question: What would love do? | Matthew 7:3-5 | Matthew 25:31-33 Don't ignore the speck in someone's eye but first remove the log in yours 20/20 vision doesn't come from having a log in your own eye A relational component is needed to remove a speck - you can't do this for a stranger 2/ The Humility Question: What can others see? | Matthew 7:6 Own your blind spots: be vulnerable - ask others for authentic feedback about your blind spots and work on rectifying those! Be strategic and wise how you share the Kingdom message (precious pearls) with those who don't know Jesus or who aren't fully ready to receive it Practice a spirit of gentleness 3/ The Wisdom Question: What/who is God calling me to? | Romans 8:1-4 God gives us the agency of free choice Substitutionary atonement: Jesus' death settled our debt of sin allowing God to forgive sin and make us righteous through our faith in Jesus Following Jesus is not about what you do, but what Jesus did for YOU! Self-judgement sabotages your life. So, live free, knowing that the judgment and punishment was put on Jesus and that there is no condemnation for those who are in Jesus. (Rom 8:1)

When you find yourself in an overwhelmingly stressful situation, can you fully trust God with whatever weighs so heavily on your heart? Naturally, many of us tend to hold tightly to worries about finances, the health of our family, security, protection, our children's education and careers, and perhaps our well-being for the future. When we are intent on trying to control life's outcomes of a situation, we burden ourselves with anxiety but also quickly realize that Worry is Worthless! God invites us not to worry, but to fully surrender to Him, just as the birds of the air and the flowers of the field do, and by faith, one step at a time, allow Him to be in control and to fill us with His indescribable peace.   Message Notes 20/10/2024 - Dominique Molver Catch Up Links: YouTube   || Spotify   ||   iTunes Do not worry | Turn to the Father | Have faith | Trust Him for your Future Matthew 6:25-34 Worry is Worthless! "Worry is like rocking in a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but you're not going anywhere" Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV) 25  “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[ a ]? 28  “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. 1/ Our Father | Matthew 6:25-34 God wants to redirect our focus from worry to Him Our assurance of God's attentive care if for each of us He delights in providing for us Look to God when you are overwhelmed or worried When we focus on our Father, we cultivate a sense of security and belonging The compassionate and gracious God is slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness - Exodus 34:6 God cares about what you care about - you can trust in our faithful Father 2/ Our Faith | Matthew 6:33 | 2 Timothy 1:7 Our faith is greater than our fears Turn to God for freedom God gives us a Spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind Worry makes you anxious and drags you away from God but faith gives you peace Faith is a journey - one step at a time, and faith fills us with peace Our faith rises when we know we have God backing us Fear loses its power when we face it and move bravely forward despite it 3/ Our Future | Matthew 6:34 Worry doesn't protect us from problems, but worry robs us of today's peace We are invited to live without the burden of future fear Surrender completely to God - He is enough! God's compassion and relentless pursuit of our lives help us to surrender to Him and increase our faith Find peace in knowing that God is already in your future Choose a path of freedom over a path of fear, worry, and anxiety as you surrender to our God of compassion and trust Him with your future. Worry is worthless, but surrender is priceless! “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

You are filled with the potential of miracles every day and Jesus gifts you the power to transform your life and experience His abundant grace when you receive the Holy Spirit . What are you deeply trusting for? Are you calling on God in prayer from a point of frustration or desperation? Trust in Him and may today not be an ordinary day, but the day in which things turn around - all of a sudden , as we receive the Holy Spirit.   Message Notes 13/10/2024 - Gabe Phillips Catch Up Links: YouTube   || Spotify   ||   iTunes "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you," Acts 1:8 1/ Creation | Gen 1:1 The earth was dark, formless and empty He came upon the waters and creation came about The story of creation continues today as God's Spirit still hovers over us Man was formed from the dirt of the earth God breathed His breath into Adam The Father breathes His Spirit into each of us in a divine, intimate moment He never turns His face from you 2/ Incarnation | Luke 1:34-35 God fills empty things, just as he filled Mary's dark, formless and empty womb, all of a sudden We are made to carry the Holy Spirit just as Mary was made to carry Jesus God is looking for the available to fill us with His Spirit 3/ Resurrection | John 20:1-9 When we carry dead dreams Jesus comes beside us and fills us with His grace There is no date that the Father can't redeem The tomb was empty so that the world could be filled 4/ Impartation | Acts 2:1-4 All of a sudden the Spirit came upon the disciples with tongues of fire The same Holy Spirit is given to us and we are equipped and called to step into the mission field as Kingdom ambassadors and share the gospel When we make ourselves available to God He fills us so that we can fill empty things too and turn things around God declares that you are the right person, for the right time such as this to fill empty lives Accept the gift that God arrests your heart as you are promised life changing, sin destroying, demon-chasing, earth shattering, resurrection power when the Holy Spirit - the presence of Jesus, comes upon you and makes His residence in YOU! CREATION | INCARNATION | RESURRECTION | IMPARTATION BOOM | WOMB | TOMB | UPPER ROOM

In an increasingly fast-paced world it's easy to become overwhelmed with worry and anxiety. In the midst of chaos, our minds can also become consumed with negativity if this is what we feed it. But, when we follow Jesus' calling not to be anxious or worry about anything, and to live fully in the present with a spirit of peace, we can pivot into a positive space that shapes us to be Kingdom-focused followers of Christ - all by His grace. This is Living, Anxiety Free!   Message Notes 6/10/2024 - Amy Nicholson Catch Up Links: YouTube   || Spotify   ||   iTunes Matthew 6:25-34 NIV "Worry is a weed that chokes the life out of us" - The Bible Project John 16:33 NIV Live in the present and seek a Kingdom perspective to see things from a different perspective What story are you telling yourself? God created the flowers and the birds: These are symbols of: - Harmony - Abundance - Blessing - Generous abundance God is a God of abundance and He doesn't want us to live with a scarcity mindset. Luke 12:30-34 NIV What is the opposite of worry? Shalom (peace) is more than the absence of worry but a sense of goodwill / benevolence or TOV (good) How do we prioritize peace? 1/ Anchor yourself in God Distractions stop us from anchoring each day Cultivate a deep and personal relationship with Jesus - trust Him with the things that bring you anxiety or those that you are worried about Remain in Jesus - Be one with Him as He offers us roots, salvation, identity and purpose John 15:4  "It is difficult for the peace of God to flow into a heart that's constantly in motion" - Louie Giglio 2/ Apply Neuroscience We can change the way we think within 21 days - Dr Caroline Leaf Take every thought captive and renew it by the transforming of your mind 2 Corinthians 10:4-5  Philippians 4:8 Displace worry with worship! 3/ Ask God to intervene or actually hand it over Don't worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Philippians 4:6   Let it go and practice gratitude Take time each day to pause and listen to the Lord - allow Him to fill you with His Spirit 4/ Activate the Holy Spirit in your life God gives us His indescribable peace when we fully surrender to Him Anchor yourself to Jesus through the fruits of the Spirit - Galatians 5:22-23  Simply open your hands and receive the Holy Spirit which is promised by Jesus Put the God of the universe in charge of your heart Give Him permission to take care of your worries and anxiety Receive freedom by surrendering to the Holy Spirit Give everything to the Lord Receive the mind of Christ. Today! ANCHOR | APPLY | ASK | ACTIVATE

If you could describe the Bible in one word what would it be? Consider the description to be ‘FATHER’. Knowing this, what earthly voices do you listen to? Or, do you listen to the voice from heaven that declares that you are loved, that you are a Son of the Father , and that you have received an inheritance into His kingdom. Message Notes 1/09/2024 - Rory Dyer 08:30 Catch Up (This is Living Part 17) : YouTube   || Spotify   ||  iTunes 10:30 Catch Up (This is Living Part 18) : YouTube   || Spotify   ||  iTunes " Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. " John 14:6 The only thing the disciples asked Jesus to do was to teach them how to pray: 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘ Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10  your kingdom come , your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."   Matthew 6:9-15 Insights into 'Our Father' 1/ He is Our Father - not our king, our Sovereign, or our Emmanuel, but Our Father. 2/ We don't pray alone to Our Father but together as part of our inheritance on a mission for Our Father. 3/ Even though we ‘art on earth’ and Our Father 'art in heaven’ every time we approach him our perspective changes as He pours His Spirit out on us. 4/ We are called to treat the Lord’s name as holy - hallowed be thy name. 5/ While Our Father is holy and always close to us, He is not our ‘buddy’. 6/ Your kingdom come : The Lord’s prayer begins with a relational context - with Our Father - but it ends with conflict between our earthly kingdom and God’s heavenly kingdom. Who is the king of your life? Your finances? Your social media practices? Your profession? Your material possessions? Your friendship circle? Your habits? Your time? Our world is filled with generational problems due to absent or unknown fathers, illegitimate children, fathers who break promises and move on, fathers who are poor role models, who don’t care and much more. Our Father offers us: Opportunity, inheritance, discipline, care, provision and so much more. When we go out into the world and baptise in the name of the Father we experience the compassionate, kind, generous, forgiving, everlasting, loving of Our Father. When we are baptised in the name of the Father , irrespective of our history, we all become sons of God. Our inheritance as His son is not gender insensitive, but culturally radical - with everyone being treated as the biblical first born son. The Father came to win you back, to give you an inheritance as a child of God because Jesus redeemed you to give you access to The Father . God gave us His Son - a voice from heaven, so: Avoid listening to earthly voices from your past, your failures, your disappointments, your hurts, your doubts and your fears. Instead, listen to the voice from heaven - " This is my Son with whom I am well pleased " and know that you are a son of the kingdom. God took Biblical genealogy which led to the birth of Jesus. He can fix any mess you find yourself in - just as He did with Jesus' genealogy. God the Father is hovering over your mess to pull the Son out of it. The earthly voices that you listen to: Cripples you. Breaks you down. Questions your value. Disregards your contribution. Disrespects you. Deserts or abandons you. Criticizes your mental, physical or emotional state. The Voice from heaven bellows: ‘Go Boytjie!’ You are God’s son and He loves you! You are in poll position - placed FIRST with God when you believe in Him. Be baptised in the name of the Father - Isaiah 9. Col 1:12 - " Giving joyful thanks to the Father , who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light." “This is my Son, [identity] whom I love; [affection] with him I am well pleased [affirmation] ”, Matthew 3:17. We have access to God and we need to become whole in the Father as His sons [and daughters]. The Spirit of God testifies within your spirit and reminds you “I am the son of God” Matthew 4: The first temptation of Sonship: Don’t be tempted by the world. Know that you are the son of God. We are sons of God not survivors - we don’t have to turn stones into bread. “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God”, John 1:12. Sonship is received - it cannot be achieved: By believing in Jesus we have direct access to the Father . How much more could we want? The destination of Christianity is not heaven, it is the Father. He bypasses your biology, the brokenness of your life and takes you directly to the Father 
. “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:11 Anything spent in the kingdom of God is never in vain - what you sow you reap. As you sow into the church, so will you reap - abundantly more than you can imagine. Call to action “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation,” Mark 16:15

God invites us to communicate with Him through prayer and the joy of this relationship of reverence is that we don't need to seek his attention - He waits on us to call out to Him and He already knows what we need. But, we need to be mindful about our motivations behind our prayers. We should avoid the trap of praying to draw attention to ourselves and feeding our feelings of significance. Rather, pray succinctly, sincerely and simply in secret. Message Notes 25/08/2024 Catch Up : YouTube   || Spotify   ||  iTunes "5 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:5-15 Jesus calls us to humble righteousness by serving in secret when we practice: 1/ Almsgiving (charity) and giving generously. 2/ Prayer. 3/ Fasting. Jesus dissuades hypocritical behaviour that reflects: A misalignment between heart and hands. Doing the right thing for the wrong reasons for fear of insignificance. Striving for significance, reward or honour which is short lived. Humble bragging and social media posting for recognition or significance. Avoiding hypocrisy: Practice humble righteousness in secret. Serve to glorify God. There are no shortcuts to formation when praying. And when you pray ... Don't be a showoff: Praying to be seen. Annoying everyone except yourself. Calling attention to yourself to feel significant. Don't pray long speeches: Don't pray empty phrases aimed at manipulating or persuading rather than communicating with God You don't need to seek God's attention - He already knows what you need and you have His affection as His adopted son or daughter. Focus on succinct, sincere, simple prayers in secret: 1/ Prayer is relational 2/ Prayer is formative 3/ Prayer is a reminder of a bigger story Focus on the FIRSTs of the Lord's prayer: F oundational I nvitational R elational S piritual T ransformational Deeply formative, grounding and personal prayer: Pray through your relationship with God and with reverence for Him. Our Father in heaven. Hallowed = deeply honoured. Your Kingdom come, your will be done - expectation and anticipation - rule & reign. Daily bread = dependence. Forgiveness = humility. Lead us not = wisdom in daily choices. "Liturgies shape our habits and order our desires. Physical acts are like portals to the heart." James K.A. Smith Without a revelation of the Father, prayer is pretentious and full of empty phrases. However, when you say YES to a relationship with the Father you begin to live like a daughter or son of God and you are assured of His: Affection Adoption Attention " So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith," Galatians 3:26 Call to action "6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:6

Caring for the poor is close to God's heart and it is a calling on each of us. But, do we practice anonymous generosity - purely giving from the heart with the knowledge that God sees and honors our actions? Or, are our generosity motives rooted in a self-serving trap of public acknowledgment? Jesus calls us to give generously and humbly with no desire for man's recognition, reward, or honor as our worth rests in Him. This is the significance secret! Message Notes 18/08/2024 Catch Up : YouTube   || Spotify   ||  iTunes "22 When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 23:22 (NIV) Old Testament teachings about generosity: 1/ " 11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land." Deuteronomy 15:11 (NIV) 2/ " 21 It is a sin to despise one’s neighbour,  but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy." Proverbs 14:21 (NIV) Blessed here means: The good life, Ashre in Hebrew. This kindness/generosity, (different from the tithe) is known as Almsgiving: the act of donating one’s time, money, and possessions to those in need. New Testament teachings about generosity: "6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. " 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (NIV) Jesus calls us to practice three actions in secret: 1/ Almsgiving (generosity to the poor) 2/ Prayer 3/ Fasting Be mature/grow up (Teleios) when giving to the needy: “1 Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:1-4 (NIV) Purehearted generosity paves the way to eternal significance    The obedience question: Am I "practicing righteousness"? What: Piety / mercifulness - spiritual practices will not get you into heaven Why: Christians are called to practice righteousness How: Maimonides’ (Rabbi in the Middle ages) Eight Levels of Charity Unwillingly Glady, but inadequately After being asked Before being asked The recipient only knows the giver The giver only knows the recipient The giver and recipient are unknown to each other Empowering to financial stability  The clarifying question: How do I let my light shine in secret? Be indifferent to praise and don't give to receive praise. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 The internal question: What are my motives? Motives matter, because if they are not pure, they will keep you trapped even if the action is well intended. "Motive is often the only difference between giving a gift and bribery," Scott B Rae Impure motives: 1/ Giving expecting gratitude: give only if giving is it's own reward. 2/ Giving to prove myself (without compassion): give with a heart aligned with compassion, and genuine care for others. 3/ Giving for praise: giving to receive acknowledgement. The eternal question: Where am I looking for significance? The genius of Jesus is that He empowers us to true freedom. He sets us free from a trap which we all fall into to some extent. "When you give, are you doing it because you are looking for the honour of people? If you make a big noise about your giving (sounding a trumpet in public), then the praise of honour is what you will get!"  Richard Rohr  If you live for the praise of people, you will die from the lack of it Worldly status and an inflated ego drives our fear of insignificance, and we waste energy trying to find temporary significance while wrestling feelings of being a failure or a fraud. "Honour is excellence as recognized by society, and therefore self image and human value are forever shaky, changing and unreliable." Richard Rohr Don't practice righteousness for the approval trap of praise, honour, reward or affirmation. Jesus sees you and offers true and lasting significance. Your worth rests in the Lord and He honours you. Purehearted generosity paves the way to eternal significance   1/ Giving is good just as God gave - John 3:16. 2/ We all have something to give despite our personal situation - 2 Cor 8-9. 3/ Give with humility, because one day you may be in need. Call to action Examine your heart and determine what you could do to grow in humble, Kingdom-focused generosity.

Loving your neighbour, enemy, maybe a family member or former friend, or variations thereof who you may consider to be unlovable, is one of the most challenging scriptural calls. Practically aligning our hearts to this directive is tough, and we are inclined to look for a myriad of reasons why an escape clause validates our sentiment for not practicing this Christian principle. But that's just wrong. Jesus invites us to be part of His new humanity and to strive towards living life with more faith, more freedom, more formation - to be OUT OF THE ORDINARY! Message Notes 11/08/2024 Catch Up : YouTube   || Spotify   ||  iTunes 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you , 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:43-48 (NIV) Scripture is very clear: 1/ " Love your neighbour and hate your enemy,"  Matthew 5:43 | Agape Love - unconditional, benevolence and goodwill towards others. 2/ “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself," Leviticus 19:18. 3/ "But I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Matthew 5:44. View scripture with a Judicial and Spiritual lens - God is not confused - he is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow! Judicial lens | Holiness, Glory, Zeal, Justice and Mercy of God rather than individualistic: Rejection of God's grace & mercy = destruction Sin is dealt with on the cross OR eternal separation from God For the wages of sin is death - Romans 6:23 God's Wrath in the Teaching of Jesus Love your enemies Spiritual lens |  Enemies are not people but spiritual forces at work: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12 Pray against the spiritual forces and not against the people The War Songs of God Who is my neighbour? Jesus expands neighbour to include our enemies - Luke 10:25-37 (NIV) | The Good Samaritan Be neighbourly following the Samaritan's example: Show compassion and love; and Class, race, religion must not influence our Christian practices. Go and do likewise! Matthew 5:45 Motivation: Show Christian love to your neighbour just as a parent would treat their child with unconditional benevolence. "That you may be children of your Father in Heaven." "He sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" - Why does God allow good things to happen to bad people? 1/ We are influenced by others, what they do and think of us - we play judge and jury. 2/ Superiority complex - "Well at least I'm not ..." 3/ We must trust God to bring about justice. 46  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others?   [have you done anything out of the ordinary? (GNT)]   Do not even pagans do that?   48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.  Matthew 5:45-48 (NIV)    People think Christians are: But, a follower of Jesus has: Morally good; Generally upright; and Strive to live a perfect life by their own will power. Become a child of God; A unique relationship with God; and Is a new creation empowered and unexplained to reflect who God is - OUT OF THE ORDINARY Do you look like God? Do you resemble the character and nature of God? Differentiating characteristics of a Christian: Attitude | Affections | Actions | Handling afflictions and trials | Worldview | Belong in a completely different realm / kingdom Does this describe you? Feeling condemned? Take action: confess, receive forgiveness, be cleansed, empowered and transformed into the likeness of Jesus To be perfect:  Teleios {Gk}- grow up, mature, full the purpose, brought to its end, finished; complete You are called to be OUT OF THE ORDINARY! 1/ Decide to love | Love your enemy as yourself - as God loves 2/ Respond with prayer | Pray for everyone - we are all created in God's image and likeness 3/ Surrender your will | Don't judge but trust God for justice and for His will to have precedence. "Loving and greeting only those who love us, Jesus says, is simply a mechanism of bondage. It’s keeping us in a small world of warm fuzzies, but actually inoculating us from the often dark and daring world of real love. It actually protects and perpetuates the world of scapegoats, victimization, and projection." Richard Rohr  13 "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations.  His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace , 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility."  Ephesians 2:13-17 Our call to action: Be an active, intentional participant in God's new humanity!

Doing life is challenging enough but more so when our hearts are filled with revenge and we need to heed advice to be the better person. "Turn the other cheek," they say - yeah, right! "An eye for an eye," they say - well, no chance of that either you may think. Jesus reminds us that our value rests in God, not man; that He will stand in judgement - not man; that we are to examine our hearts and demonstrate Christ's love in the world. Living life with revenge can be a tough call - yet, it need not be! Message Notes 04/08/2024 Catch Up: YouTube  || Spotify  || iTunes 38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." Matthew 5:38-42 (NIV) This scripture leads us back to Exodus 21, Leviticus 24 and Deuteronomy 19 when the main intent was to control excesses, mute violence and limit greed. Laws were implement where the punishment, determined by a judge, would fit the crime to stop free-for-all vigilante justice takers. Our nature of revenge prompts us to want to hurt harder than we've been hurt, encouraging violent or destructive behaviour. Jesus does not call us to accept abuse but rather to respond in creative, non-violent ways to injustice without being a doormat. Don't react in kind, but take a stand. "It’s an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth until the spirit of Christ enters into us. Then something higher is expected of us, but not until then," M Lloyd Jones Instead: Expose injustice in a non-violent way; Adopt a heart posture that subdues the fleshly desire for revenge; and Don't fight as the world fights Jesus wants to unburden us of a vengeful spirit and He calls us to an examination of conscience as well as an examination of our hearts - scripture is very clear about this: 1/ "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else," 1 Thessalonians 5:15 2/ "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse," Romans 12:14 3/ "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for God's wrath [and His judicial righteousness]; for it is written 'vengeance is mine, I will repay' says the Lord," Romans 12:19 BIG FIVE APPROACH TO REVENGE 1/ An eye for an eye | Matthew 5:38 Don't get into tit-for-tat arguments. 2/ Turn the other cheek | Matthew 5:39 Honour shame culture . Don't accept abuse but resist retaliating in violence. “If I am not what you say I am, then you are not who you think you are.” James Baldwin. Your identity is in Christ and you deserve to be treated with dignity and do the same for others. 3/ Give them your coat too | Matthew 5:40 Taking the coat off someone's back (as with their dignity) aligns to shame culture. Rather be generous to expose underhandedness. 4/ Go the extra mile | Matthew 5:41 Don't accept shameful treatment inflicted on you. Choose to respond with selective subversive generosity and hospitality. 5/. Give | Matthew 5:42 Be generous but not stupid. Avoid enabling addictive or socially unacceptable habits Amy Jill Lavine's three practical examples to dealing with revenge in a modern world: The Slap - Don't escalate violence. The Suit - Don't give up your agency. The Subjugation - Shame your attacker and retain your honour. In the midst of a state of revenge, demonstrate a Christ-like spirit, stand up for injustice without violence, and be respectful of class, gender, race and other differences. This does not mean that we should tolerate being a victim of narcissism, abuse or other destructive behaviour, but rather seek wise counsel in dealing with it. Above all else, Jesus reminds us to guard our hearts from the dark clutches of revenge - to surrender this weakness and wickedness to Him, and to walk in His light accepting that vengeance is His alone.

We're in a world where words are added to words to convey sincerity. Often we say things to come across as more genuine than we are. There are levels and loopholes to the commitments we make.  Imagine a world without dishonesty, manipulation and deception. This is Jesus vision for a new humanity - where a "yes" is a "yes", and a "no" is a "no". Message Notes 28/07/2024 Catch Up: YouTube  || Spotify  || iTunes - Integrity: - the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. - the state of being whole and undivided. Don't you just hate it when people are manipulative and deceitful, where there is a lack of integrity? Yet, we all have the potential to white lie, be dishonest, to make ourselves look better, try to get out of trouble. Could you imagine what it might be like to live in a world where no one lied, broke promises, manipulated? This is the vision Jesus has for humanity! 33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." Matthew 5:33-37 1/ Jesus seems to be referring to a few OT passages here: Leviticus 19:12  Deuteronomy 23:21-23 2/ Jesus is likely not forbidding vows but he is addressing the heart behind it: The idea of making oaths with varying degrees of commitment  and where the value of item determined the sincerity of the pledge - LEVELS AND LOOPHOLES 16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it. Matthew 23:16-22 Why do we do this? Could it be linked to the 4 idols of the heart... APPEARANCES (APPROVAL) ESCAPE CLAUSE (POWER) MANIPULATION (CONTROL) AVOIDING CONFLICT  (COMFORT) The 3 battlefields we all face: 1/ World system  (CULTURE) "With Integrity, nothing else matters. Without Integrity nothing else matters". Craig Groeshel 2/ FLESH - HEART Jesus is addressing the manipulation, deception, dishonesty that is so easily found in our hearts are deceitful.. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:34-37 Guard your heart! 3/ SPIRIT - SOURCE: A contrast When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life." John 14:6 The more you believe the Father in heaven rather than the Father of lies, the more the truth will be in your heart, and the more integrity you will have!