God, Our Father Ablaze in beauty How Great you are! We lift our eyes to you God, Reveal more of yourself to us. Release your Spirit to move in our midst, let us know your presence. We declare your goodness, your kindness, your mercy, your justice, and your peace over South Africa as we head into the elections. May your will be done in South Africa as it is in Heaven. Hold South Africa in your Mighty hand, Oh God We know that you're all power and you can do what’s best for our country. May we be a Nation that stands on the side of Justice, May forgiveness be our portion. Heal South Africa, we pray. Amen

It has been said that a nation will rise, and fall based on the focus of their worship. This pattern appears time and again through the pages of Scripture. As we head into the elections in South Africa, let us be people who turn our heart's affection to God. Let our first response be to worship Him. Our victory as a nation lies in our ability to worship God and invite His good pleasing & perfect will into South Africa. Our God, The awe-inspiring one The Creator of heaven and earth is powerful, The Great Almighty He is Worthy of our worship, The Lover of our souls. He is the alpha and omega, The beginning and the end He is slow to anger and abounds in steadfast love He is faithful to the generations, The keeper of His promises He is faithful and true, His kindness knows no end. He reigns victorious, The conquering King He sits on the side of Justice, Oh, but there’s mercy in His eyes He is the undefeated one, Ruler of heaven and earth and He is worthy of our worship, We declare Great are you, Lord! We lift our hearts affection to you and say, Great are you Lord, have your way in us. Great are you Lord, have your way in Free Church. Great are you Lord, have your way in the Nation of South Africa. Great are you, Lord. May your good pleasing and perfect will be done in South Africa as in Heaven. Amen

Message Notes:05/05/2024 Catch Up:  Watch | Listen Spiritual formation in the way of Jesus (aka discipleship, apprenticeship, following Jesus) is the process of becoming more like Christ for the sake of others. A big part of that is to allow the Holy Spirit to change some long-held perspectives that are unhelpful to our progress. Here are three perspectives that have shifted for me as I have followed Jesus The Garage: I used to think that proximity to people who followed Jesus would be enough, but now I know that personal responsibility and ownership are required! Rom 10:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Hanging out in a garage won't turn you into a car! The Wash & Go: I used to think that having a "spiritual wash & go" on a Sunday was enough... but now I know that Jesus is about deep transformation from the inside out. Matt 23: 27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. Keeping a polished exterior, while leaving the mess inside the car unattended, is futile! The Refuel: I used to think that going to church on Sunday was to refuel me for the week. Now I know that what Jesus had in mind was to be continuously filled with the Spirit (the whole week), and then to gather with others on a Sunday and worship him from a place of overflow! Eph 5: 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be [CONTINUOUSLY] filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The church exists primarily to worship God, so it's less about what I can get from church and more about how I can be part of the church that gives honour and glory to Him! Jesus' final charge to his disciples - this is key in our journey as it applies to everyone who decides to immerse themselves in the way of Jesus - and it's here that Jesus talks about baptism. MATT 28:16-20 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” LUKE24:41-49 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. 44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised, but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” THE PLAN: Jesus is launching a new type of humanity... THE PART: Doubters, worshipers - Jesus doesn't discriminate, you've got the part - make disciples! THE PEOPLE: The Gospel is good news for all people, all nations, all ethnic groups, everyone! THE PROMISE: The power and presence of the Holy Spirit THE PROCESS: (Making disciples of Jesus) Baptising and teaching ON BAPTISMS (See Historical Theology, Gregg Allison) - here is a summary Jesus commands it in Matt 28:16-20 1st century Acts the pattern is immediate baptism in response to the Gospel 2nd century Tertullian advocated it's for the forgiveness of sin deliverance from death/regeneration or the new birth / the gift of the Holy Spirit, 3rd century Cyprian, Origen - original sin - baptize infants ASAP because of original sin 4th century - Christianity became a legalized religion in the Roman Empire, and due to the influx of people, a catechism was put in place to check motivations before enrolling in the church 5th century, official rite of the Roman Catholic Church, necessary for salvation, every Easter, eucharist Middle-Ages, infant baptism came to the fore because of the mortality rate 16th century Reformation - Anabaptists, advocated for believers' baptism (some were executed by drowning for their hardline approach) Karl Barth (19th) - Baptism is a response to divine activity Until today, some churches practice baptism of infants, others, believers baptism So, where does that leave us today - in summary: 1/ Scripture doesn't seem to explicitly say anything about the baptism of children i.e. not for, nor against 2/  Baptism seems explicit from what Jesus said, and what we see in Acts, and is therefore something important to consider in one's spiritual formation journey. It is a pledge, a public declaration, an opportunity to demonstrate obedience to Jesus. Maybe this is your next step?!

Message Notes: 21/04/2024 Catch Up:  Watch | Listen Jesus’ resurrection is central to our faith, and hence to the process of spiritual formation. It provides the reality in which we are transformed to become more like Christ by the person and power of the Holy Spirit.  It is how we are made alive! Paul unpacks this ins 1 Cor 15:12-22 (NIV) …if Christ has not been raised from the dead, our preaching is useless 2/ your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead... For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive Luke 24:1-12 (NIV) ​1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” 8 Then they remembered his words. 9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. There is so much wonder, awe and unexpectedness in the accounts of Jesus ressurection! If Jesus' resurrection is at the center of our spiritual formation, then this this sense of wonder is a big part of what goes on! Eugene H. Peterson 1/ Having it 'all worked out' can be a wonder killer 2/ The workplace can be a wonder killer (and most people spend a lot of time there) How can we cultivate wonder? Through SABBATH.  (שַׁבָּת, 'shabbat') which means to  “cease” or “desist” “stop” or “quit” Genesis - God models rest it and in Ex 20, it is given as a FESTIVAL OF FREEDOM which restores personhood, and counters the Pharoahic culture of production and consumption (where the Israelites had been enslaved for 400 years) Sabbath cultivates the Ability to see what God is doing in the ordinary (e.g. workplace) Be surprised by what is not understood Creates a capacity to respond in wonder to mysteries Decluttering and detachment from the world’s way of doing things The workplace is not the whole of life. But without a Sabbath, in which God goes beyond the workplace (but not away from it), the workplace is soon emptied of any sense of the presence of God. Eugene H. Peterson Days pass and the years vanish, and we walk sightless among miracles.  Lord, fill our eyes with seeing and our minds with knowing; let there be moments when Your Presence, like lightning, illumines the darkness in which we walk. Help us to see, wherever we gaze, that the bush burns unconsumed. And we, clay touched by God, will reach out for holiness, and exclaim in wonder: How filled with awe is this place, and we did not know it! Blessed is the Eternal One, the holy God! Gates of Prayer: The New Union Prayer Book (Weekends, Sabbaths, and Festivals) So, I wonder… what will you do differently? Recommended Resources: Living the Resurrection: The Risen Christ in Everyday Life Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now

Overview Message Notes: 28/04/2024 Catch Up:  Watch | Listen Firstly, this story highlights the importance of fostering a relationship with Jesus. His heart to be and spend time with Cleopas and his companion on the road and their willingness to reciprocate that relationship. Secondly, it highlights the importance of the request / invite for Jesus to enter into their home and their lives. Thirdly, there’s the importance of the setting in which they finally recognized and received the revelation of Jesus, which was around a table, sharing a meal. And lastly, it highlights the importance of their response to that revelation, which was to get up at once to tell others. It’s a story about 2 people, young and in love, engaged to be married, who decided to start attending church before they got married. Both knew of Jesus and somewhat about him but neither saw Him as a friend. They both grew up going to church once maybe twice a year but never really pursued a relationship with Jesus. It was more out of moral obligation and tradition than a hunger for the Word of God. Now it wasn’t very long that they attended this church when they were approached and invited to something called a Discipleship Group or what we here at Free Church know as a Life Group. Reluctantly and very unsure they decided to join this young group of people for a meal. To their surprise and absolute delight, the people who hosted this group were a lot less weird than they had anticipated, and so they ended up going again and again and again. Every time sharing a meal, talking about life, asking questions about the bible, praying and encouraging one another. This group of people actually ended up rallying around the couple during some of the hardest and happiest moments of their lives in the next few years. When they lost a baby they prayed for and loved them. With the eventual birth of their first and second children they visited them in hospital and brought them home cooked meals for at least 2 weeks. They guided them when they felt lost and corrected them, in love, when they went astray. They fed them food but also a whole lot of truth. Fast forward 8 years later, this couple now finds themselves engulfed in a life of ministry, still meeting those not-so-weird discipleship group leaders regularly, sharing meals, asking questions, praying for and encouraging one another. You see, this couple found a friend in Jesus through another couple modeling and investing in a friendship with them. It wasn’t extravagant, it wasn’t instant, it wasn’t easy. It took intentionality and commitment. It was good friends, robust conversations, and meals upon meals. It was in the ordinariness of their everyday lives, the losses, the celebrations, and the access to each other’s messy homes and minds… that they received the greatest miracle of all. A friend in Jesus. A new way of life. A hope. An anchor. A purpose. They haven’t always gotten it right. They’ve often missed Jesus in the mundane moments but they’ve found friends old and new willing to remind them that their invitation stands. A seat at the table of the most High King, Jesus, with their names on it. Now I don’t know where in your story I found you today. Maybe you can relate to this couple, maybe you’ve experienced a different story filled with hurt, regret, loneliness or rejection. Maybe you just don’t feel worthy and that’s ok. I believe Jesus wants to meet us right where we are at BUT none of that changes the fact that YOU have a seat at His table and He is calling by name. I love this story in the Bible of Cleopas and a companion which some assumed was his wife. If you have your Bible handy you can open Luke 24:13-34 from the New life Version. Just to give some context, it was just Passover, Jesus had been crucified and buried 3 days ago but now some of his followers Mary Magdelene and the other Mary claim that when they went to visit Jesus’ tomb, it was empty and that an angel appeared to them telling them that Jesus has risen from the dead. We’ll be unpacking each of these in a little more detail in just a moment but what I’d like to highlight from this story are the following 4 very important aspects that lead to the eventual revelation and complete transformation of Cleopas and his companions’ lives. Even though there’s no one-size-fits all recipe to spiritual formation, I do believe these 4 valuable points can help to guide us in our own journeys with Jesus. So… Relationship Let’s start with point 1,  Which serves as reminder of how important it is for Jesus to have a relationship with us and if we’re not careful how easily we can miss out on meeting and getting to know Jesus, because of an expectation of what we think He should look like or act like in our own lives OR simply by not giving Him the time of day. There’s a reason “Something closed Cleopas and his companion’s eyes from seeing who Jesus was” on the road. When we read the story, we can gather that they followed and knew Jesus for some time, before His crucifixion, because they spoke of Him and the disciples with familiarity. So surely they would have recognized His voice, or noticed His mannerisms the moment He joined them on the road? BUT everything Jesus did was done with intentionality and great significance, which in this instance, showcases Jesus’ pursuit to spend time with, teach, and guide Cleopas and His friend. It just shows the lengths Jesus would go to, to meet with and be with His people. 2-hours is a long time to be in someone’s company. And here’s the really scary part. Had Cleopas and his companion not been open to reciprocating that relationship, had they not chosen to befriend this stranger, had they not been willing to listen and learn with teachability and humility, had they not continued to stay the course even though this person challenged their views and perspectives, they could have missed out on the opportunity to see Jesus for who he was. Nothing about this time on the road points to extravagance or ease. It was a tedious part of their everyday lives, commuting from one place to the next. So why, is it that we expect ease and extravagance when it comes to building our relationships with Jesus? If it’s not grand, it’s not a miracle. If it’s not instant, it’s not worth our time and effort. If it interrupts our busy schedules or our carefully curated plans for our future, it’s just not welcome. So many times in scripture Jesus had this wonderfully subtle way of meeting with people in the most ordinary moments of their days. No fireworks, no earthquakes, just Jesus walking, talking, and eating with His people, whom He loved. It was divine interruptions in their normal routines where Jesus breathed new life and new meaning. Eugene Peterson puts it so simply in his book Living The Resurrection Life. Which I highly recommend you read, especially as we learn more about the process of spiritual formation. Eugene says this, We are formed in our routines. In other words, we become the things we keep ourselves busy with. So if we are not willing to embrace the divine interruptions of Jesus in our daily routines, How can we expect Him to breathe new life and new meaning into our lives? Are we truly becoming more like Christ if we’re not welcoming Him into the busyness of our days? 2. Request The request or invitation for Jesus to enter Cleopas and his companion’s home. It’s inspiring for me how even after a long and tedious walk filled with grueling conversation, Cleopas and his companion were so hungry for TRUTH that they STILL made the request for Jesus to join them for a meal. I can’t imagine that extending the request, at that time, would have been very convenient, especially after what had just happened the past few days. Loss, confusion, doubt, and then coming home to what could have been a messy or disorganized home (we won’t know for sure) with nothing but bread to serve their guest. Yet, Cleopas and His companion offered the request almost as a reflex in response to the relationship that had just been built over the past few hours on the road. It’s like they understood that certain interruptions or inconveniences formed part of learning more about the life of Jesus. It’s like they took what Jesus had modeled to them when He was alive. So naturally they welcomed it and in doing so unknowingly welcomed Jesus into their home and into their hearts. I just love how in the text it says that as they arrived at their destination, their home, Jesus actually pretended to be walking further. In other words, He wasn’t forceful or demanding, he was patient in waiting for their invitation. In the same way – Jesus is not one to force himself into our lives. He is patient in building a relationship with us and once we invite Him into every aspect of our lives, every nook, and cranny of our hearts, the good, the bad, the ugly, the busy, and the bold, then only can he begin to reveal even more of Himself in us. 3. Recognition / revelation It was only once they came to a complete stop, once they sat down and looked up, right in the face of Jesus, as he broke the bread, that they received the revelation of who He truly was. The resurrected Christ. It took more than just the request or invitation to join their table. It took a shared experience with Jesus to truly SEE and more so, KNOW him. The fact that Jesus chose this exact setting to reveal Himself is no coincidence – With Jesus it very rarely was. Really, it points to the significance that meals have played in the process of spiritual formation in scripture. So last week we looked at the Sabbath, which is when we take one day out of our weeks to stop, listen, and spend time with Jesus. But what then happens to the other 6 days of the week? Well here’s our answer… So many of Jesus’s teachings, parables, and metaphors in scripture included meals. If He wasn’t talking about it, He was engaged in the act of sharing a meal with others or performing miracles to feed others. (It sounds like me minus the miracles). Even in his last moments, he shared a meal with his beloved disciples – Which is now coined the Last Supper. Is there any act simpler or more routine than eating a meal together? So, what if we followed Jesus’ example and invited Him back to OUR tables? What if we became people who welcomed spiritual formation as part of our everyday routine by sitting down and sharing meals?What if we stopped and slowed down long enough, to look each other and Jesus in the face? We were made in His image after all.. The enemy’s goal is to keep us from Jesus and His practices. It’s no wonder that over the years our culture has severely diminished the importance of meals. Thanks to fast food restaurants, on-the-go meals, and TV dinners, eating has become a function rather than a central role in our lives. Meals, and with that I mean hearty-cooked-food, shared amongst friends, families, and colleagues, just aren't as easily accessible as they should be. But this doesn’t have to be our reality. We have the power and the choice to flip the script. We can welcome meals back into our lives as a kind of mini-sacrament for the life and legacy of Jesus. We can prepare and eat our meals with intentionality. We can even change the trajectory of someone else’s life by inviting them to join our table. The moment Cleopas and his companion received the revelation of who was sitting at their table. In one instance, they stood up and went back to Jerusalem to tell others. They responded to the revelation by sharing their experience with others. 4. Response: Remember the story about that couple? Young and in love. Well here’s a photo of them now. A Lot less young, still very much in love but with a little less hair and a whole lot of extra wrinkles. The trajectory of our lives changed because another couple was willing to share their experience and revelation of Jesus with us and many others around a table. It was in the sharing of meals that strangers became acquaintances, then community, and eventually irreplaceable friends. You see, we don’t need a degree in theology or psychology to play a part in changing the trajectory of someone else's life, even our very own lives. No! All we need is to invite Jesus to our tables, as our Host. Isn’t it cool how in this story, even though Cleopas and his companion were the ones who invited Jesus to the table. It was Jesus who acted as the host in that moment. He’s the one who took, blessed, and broke the bread and gave it back to them. He is the one who completely transformed their lives in an instant by revealing Himself to them. Opening their eyes to the truth. AND HERE’S THE TRUTH - JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED IT! YOU HAVE A SEAT AND THE TABLE OF THE MOST HIGH KING WITH YOUR NAME ON IT If you’re struggling to believe that today, let alone mustering up enough courage to invite someone else for a meal. There are people in this church that want to remind you and keep inviting you to their table until this TRUTH becomes your reality. Within a moment Jesus can take what you are willing to offer him and break it open. Your strength, your joy, your sorrow, your weakness, even the most hidden parts of yourself, those areas you feel are broken beyond repair or too dark even for Jesus to bear. He not only takes it and breaks it but He blesses and gives thanks for it. And here’s the really good part… He then gives it all back to us but not as He received it. Completely and utterly transformed. Made new in Him. Resources: https://www.amazon.com/Living-Resurrection-Risen-Christ-Everyday/dp/157683929X

Message Notes: 14/04/2024 Catch Up:  Watch | Listen Guest Speaker Tim Hawkins reminded us of the importance of not being a Christian who tends to carry the "remote" of control but rather one who hands the remote over to Christ, surrenders to Jesus, and takes up their cross. 1. The Cost for Jesus He is the Christ Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" -Mark 8:27-30a They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets. -Mark 8:28 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" -Mark 8:29a Peter answered, "You are the Messiah." -Mark 8:29b Who surrenders everything "Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him." -Mark 8:30 "He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the law and that he must be killed and after three days rise again." -Mark 8:31 "He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. " -Mark 8:32 "But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said "You do not have in mind the concerns of God but merely human concerns." -Mark 8:33 2. The Cost to Follow Jesus Deny yourself "Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves" -Mark 8:34 Take up your cross "Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." -Mark 8:34 Surrender everything "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it." -Mark 8:35 "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?" -Mark 8:36-37 "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." -Mark 8:38

Message Notes: 07/04/24 Catch Up: Watch  Listen After his resurrection, Jesus starts setting things right.  In his interactions with people following his victory over death, we see that in Jesus we find value, identity, and purpose - three things that every human desires at the deepest level! VALUE 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” Matthew 28:8-10 In this patriarchal, even misogynous society, where women were inferior to men, this is extremely progressive, Jesus was revolutionary in his treatment of women. Here he restores dignity by choosing these two women to be the first carriers of the Gospel message - "Jesus is alive!" * Know that Jesus values you, irrespective of what culture, tradition, or society may say! IDENTITY 5When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 17The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. John 21:15-17 Here Jesus is restoring Peter into a relationship based on love, following Peter's great betrayal. Loving relationships are foundational for the formation of identity. We often base our identity on our achievements and failures, pronouns, orientation, job titles, bank balance, etc. Know that: through Jesus, your truest (core) identity is a child of God, loved and accepted, irrespective of your track record! PURPOSE 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:17-20 The charge is given to all - those who worshipped and those who doubted. We can tend to disqualify ourselves from the great commission because we don't know enough, have doubts, or are not "spiritual" enough or "holy" enough. The charge is given to those who SHOW UP. Jesus doesn't differentiate here! Know that: in Jesus, you have a divine God-given purpose - to love God, love people, and carry the good news of the Gospel! Salvation is not only to be seen as a way to escape hell and get into heaven. It must be seen in the grand narrative of the Kingdom. It is about becoming a disciple of Jesus equipped by grace to do what Jesus did - and helping people find their value, identity, and purpose in Him So, keep showing up, doubts and all, and find value, identity and purpose in Jesus and alongside others in his Kingdom, allowing Him to shape you and form you to become more like him. The position that women are inferior has persisted until modern times in society and to an extent in many churches. See: In Why Can't Women Do That? Payne and Huffaker p46 - 50 How God Sees Women, Williams - p28 What the Bible Actually Teaches on Women, Giles - p176

Message Notes: 31/03/24 Catch Up: Watch Listen They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). They crucified him, Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. When they saw earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God! … After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. Peter saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. God! The WONDER of what happened - there is so much rich symbolism here! We are in a world that has lost its wonder. Everything needs to be logical, rationalized, explained, and understood. Formation in the way of Jesus requires WONDER! 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3 It is not easy to convey a sense of wonder, let alone resurrection wonder, to another. It’s the very nature of wonder to catch us off guard, to circumvent expectations and assumptions. Wonder can’t be packaged, and it can’t be worked up. It requires some sense of being there and some sense of engagement. The way of Jesus cannot be imposed or mapped — it requires an active participation in following Jesus as he leads us through sometimes strange and unfamiliar territory, in circumstances that become clear only in the hesitations and questionings, in the pauses and reflections where we engage in prayerful conversation with one another and with him. Eugene H. Peterson PASSOVER 2.5M - 3M people in the city to celebrate and recall how God delivered them from Egypt - saved by the blood of the lamb DARKNESS covered the land from 12 pm - 3 pm Echoes of Genesis 1 and the 9th plague in Exodus 10:22-23 (the 10th plague was the killing of the firstborn Most likely this was the time when Jesus was enduring the wrath of the Father VICTORY SHOUT "It is finished" CURTAIN TORN likely 15 x 20m heavy veil, cut from top to bottom. The priests would have been in the inner court at 3 PM when this happened, preparing for the evening sacrifice. The way into God's presence is now open and the sacrificial system is made obsolete EARTH QUAKE Echo of Sianai and, Psalms, earth-shaking!! Intervention, judgment, anger TOMBS OPENED The finality of the grave is removed This happens Friday afternoon, as the Sabbath is about to start Likely No one would deal with the open graves until after the Sabbath JESUS The way Matthew records this, it seems Jesus left the tomb before the stone was moved!! And his Graveclothes the way the text is written, not unwrapped, but as if his body just passed through. Either way, there is something very intentional about it! RESURRECTED DEAD People whose tombs were opened on Friday now rise up and go into the city Unexpected - No one was expecting this! You never know what God is going to do. response the very point is to catch us off guard. Undramatic - The revelation of Jesus himself is low-key Unlikely - the most unlikely person, Mary Magdalene, is chosen to be the first Gospel Cultivating WONDER Slow down enough to wonder! Response: Fall in reverence (Hb shachah) | and touch his feet (Gk proskuneo) Shachah - bow down, go lower, on knees, forehead on the ground. Proskuneo - move toward with the intention of intimacy We need both for wonder - Fear, familiarity

Notes: Sunday 24/03/2024 Catch Up: Watch   || Listen John 12:1-26 Scene 1 Perfume (12:1-11) Jesus the outlaw gathered with his closest friends, celebrating the return of Lazarus from the dead Mary lets down her hair (a cultural no-no) and pours a costly perfume oil from the Himalayas on Jesus feet, much to the shock of those around the table Judas' heart motivations are revealed Jesus seems to hint at his coming resurrection linking to an ongoing Rabbinic debate of whether it was better to give to the poor or prepare bodies for burial Worship here looks like an extravagance, to the point of self-embarrassment - in other words, Mary does not care what others think, nor how much her worship costs. her focus is just on Jesus. What adjustments can you make in your worship of Jesus to be extravagantly embarrassing? Scene 2 Palms (12:12 - 19) Jesus the outlaw is coming into Jerusalem, on a donkey A donkey was a noble animal in antiquity, which a king would ride when coming in peace Waving palm branches was the way people would welcome a conquering king - it's what they did when Judas Maccabees overthrew the Greeks in 164BC The people sing Ps 118:25-26 Hosanna - a Hebrew word that means "Save us now!" This fulfills the prophecy from Zech 9:9, recorded over 500 years before The crowd is building, because of people sharing the story of what they had seen Jesus do (raising Lazarus) In Hebrew culture, rather than saying "thank you" as we might, gratitude was displayed by telling others about what a person had done Worship here looks like shouting and praising amidst the crowd and telling the story of what Jesus has done for you (or what you have seen him do). This is what draws the crowd! What adjustments do you need to make in your worship of Jesus to Who can you tell your story to as an act of worship to Jesus, and an invitation for others to meet him? Scene 3 Paradox (12:20 - 26) The Greeks would like to see Jesus, but instead of giving them an audience, Jesus teaches the paradox of the Gospel - the way that the whole world will "see" him is through his death. To follow Him then, is to follow his example - to die to ourselves. What do you need to let go of, so that you can fully take hold of what God is calling you to?

Notes: Sunday 17/03/2024 Catch Up: Watch   || Listen Jesus comforts the discouraged. Jesus disrupts the comfortable. Two weeks out from Easter - one of the dangers is familiarity. Liturgy helps turn our hearts' attention toward Jesus so that it's more than another long weekend. In the Catholic tradition, the two weeks leading up to Easter were called Passiontide (suffering-tide). While we are not saying let's follow every tradition, there is an invitation to be intentional about this time - to see in new ways the significance of this, to get lost in the wonder of the easter story, with new eyes, and to allow this to form and shape something in you. Over the next few weeks, we will follow the timeline to Easter. As best as we know, John Chapter 11 captures the events a few weeks out from the Passover. Context a/ Jewish people, under Roman occupation, were waiting for a promised Messiah, b/ Deeply entrenched Education system, where only the top of the class moved to the next level: - Bet Sefer House of the Book (6yrs old -12 years old - learning the Torah) - Bet Talmud House of Learning (learning the Old Testament) - Bet Rabban House of the Teacher (learning a Rabbi's interpretation of the scriptures) - Invitation from a Rabbi - "Come follow me." (apprenticeship to become like the Rabbi) c/ Pharisees (scholars, keepers of the written and oral law, the religious police. John, so far has recorded 7 miracles that Jesus has done - Ch2 turned water into wine - Ch4 heals an official son, remotely - Ch5 healed a lame man at the pool after 38 years - Ch 6 feeds 5000 people - Ch 6 walks on water - Ch 9 restores the sight of a man born blind - Ch 11 raises Lazarus from the dead John 11:45-57 45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.” 49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead, he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” 57 But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him. In this text, there are some foes, fans and followers of Jesus. Foes: Pharisees and their plot… The self-righteous heart is threatened by what Jesus will disrupt In which areas of life is Jesus not welcome? Where do you shut down the voice of the Holy Spirit? Fans: What do you think? Is he coming to the Passover? What is going to happen? Fans cheer from the sidelines but are quick to disappear into the crowd. Followers: "Follower" is not the best word because of social media: you can "follow" by clicking a button and remain far removed. Believer is also not a great word. And many believed in him - means so much more than "I believe in Jesus" (so do the devils - James 2:19) Apprentice, disciple is better. It is faith, trust, believing into, and accepting the "Come and follow me, and become like me" invitation from the rabbi. It is a radical reorganization, taking the yoke of the rabbi on you, becoming like him, for the sake of others. Fans choose churches on preferences, followers recognize God plants them in churches Fans say "peace-out" when offenses come, while followers pursue peace-making Fans see Gospel freedom as liberty to pursue happiness, followers see Gospel freedom as liberty to pursue holiness and righteous living (not for approval, but because of approval). Fans tip, followers tithe No guilt trip intended but could it be that so many of us "believe in Jesus" but our actions resemble fans more than followers, disciples, or apprentices? I want to be a (better) follower, and there are parts of my life where I resemble a fan and parts where I resemble a foe. Are you a FAN or a FOLLOWER of Jesus? If you are a FAN, what needs to change to become a FOLLOWER? All of us, start as FOES. Through Jesus' work on the cross, the door is thrown open wide, he offers forgiveness of sin, silencing condemnation, and disarming the enemy. Romans 5:10 For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved. To be a follower then, means to be formed into the likeness of the Rabbi, Jesus, for the sake of others. That means taking up his invitation to "Come, follow me" Philippians 1:6  being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Notes: Sunday 10/03/2024 Catch Up: Watch   || Listen The journey of spiritual formation in Christ can be seen as the invitation to become and live in the fullness of the design and desire that he had for man when he created us - to live a life of love - as it was in Eden, and as it will be in the future. In Peter, we see a story of growth from the man who was once so rough around the edges, stumbling and failing to now a highly respected leader, wise, bold, courageous and fearless in pursuing God’s plan for his life. His life story reflects to some extent the different stages of the Critical Journey. Identity “Follow Me” John 1 42Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas Wherever you might find yourself today, I want to encourage you that when you meet Jesus – he confirms your identity in him. Perspective & Purpose Matthew 16:13-17 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” 15Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” Perspective First – Jesus encourages/warns Peter that the revelation he had was from God and not his own intellect or brilliance. It was God’s perspective and not Peter’s – a lesson in humility and perspective and a reminder that it’s through humility that he reveals to us. Purpose Second, between 1 and 3 years before this – Jesus gave him the name Peter – his new identity in Christ, but now, after a season of growth - Jesus speaks a new purpose over his new identity and then continues to grow him spiritually until he can fulfil it. Correction Matthew 16:21-23 21From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. 22But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand (corrected) him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” While Peter failed often, Jesus used his failures to teach him how to walk with God and his failures were not bigger than God’s plans for his life! Gracious Invitation Luke 22 – 31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” 33Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.” 34But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” Imagine how Peter would have felt afterward and over the next few days as Jesus is swept away and crucified. His last moments with Jesus and how he had messed up so badly in each of them. How incredible is the love and grace of Jesus here. Jesus knew what a bad night Peter was going to have – Messing up no less than three separate times – the last of which was like a nail in the coffin! But before that night encourage him, once you have repented, Greek / Hebrew – once you have changed your ways, once you have come back to me – strengthen your brothers. Wherever you are in your story and whatever is going on, know that the Jesus looks at you with open arms and extends a powerful, loving, gracious invitation to continue to walk with him. Love John 21 4 At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. 5He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied. 6Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. 7Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped (threw himself) into the water, and headed to shore. 8The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. 9When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread. 10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn. 12 “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. 14This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead. 15After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love (agape – total commitment and devotion) me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love (phileo) you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. 16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love (agape – total commitment and devotion) me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. 17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love (phileo – friendship/brother) me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. 18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”.. There was a new honesty in Peter; he no longer pretended to be what he was not. Pretence and arrogance were now gone. No longer would he claim to “know better than God.” As you consider a journey of spiritual formation in Christ – know that he is extending the greatest invitation – one that sees you live a life marked by righteousness, a deep peace – free from anxiety, stress, insecurity, and one filled with joy. He has agape love for us, one that is unconditional and understanding of who we are. And if we cant love him as much as he loves us – despite our best or worst efforts – he looks at you and says, that’s okay! Let's start there. What does this mean for your story and who you are becoming?

This past weekend marked two years since Free Church began, and we had Richard and Jaci Mun-Gavin spend the weekend with us, sharing their wisdom and charging us for the future! All the catch-up links and notes are below. Sunday 08:30 Message (Richard) Catch Up: YouTube || Spotify || iTunes MARK 5:21-43 NIV ACCESSIBLE - Are we accessible for people dealing with matters of life and the eternal? COMPASSIONATE - Can we adjust our ears to ‘overhearing’ in the midst of the jostling? POWERFUL - Do we speak and display the power of God (life and resurrection) to people and their situations? Sunday 10:30 Message (Jaci) Catch Up: YouTube || Spotify || iTunes They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:42 You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you, too, are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. Colossians 1:24 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 And Paul lived there for two full years… and welcomed all who came to him, preaching and proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness and boldness, unhindered and unrestrained. Acts 28:30 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Saturday Dream Team Forum (Richard & Jaci) Catch Up: Spotify ORDER: ”Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.“ ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭7‬ ‭ESV ”His ruling authority will grow, and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭7 MSG‬‬ GRATITUDE: “We are too prone to engrave our trials in marble and write our blessings in sand.” - Charles Spurgeon HEALTH: Healthy things grow and then bear fruit. Fruitfulness is the goal of growth. CHARACTER: “The goal of God’s work in us is Jesus taking up residence in every part of us. No little pockets of resistance.” - Pete Scazzero PACE Love has a pace and it’s slower than you think. “Hurry is not just a disordered schedule. Hurry is a disordered heart.” - John Ortberg TESTIMONY: “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried.” - G. K. Chesterton PERSPECTIVE: ETERNITY: “When we ask the present to give us what only the eternal can give, we end up driven, frustrated, discouraged, and ultimately hopeless.” - Paul David Tripp. DREAMS: “We have to dream. How else do we make a future that does not yet exist?” - Simon Sinek VISION: A people without vision are a people without a future. And a people without a future, always go back to their past. STRATEGY: "People do not decide their futures. They decide their habits, and their habits decide their futures." - F. M. Alexander IMPACT: “Productivity is overrated. What counts most is the quality of output, not the quantity. People may be impressed by the volume you produce, but impact depends on the value you create. Success isn't about getting more things done. It's about doing more worthwhile things well.” - Adam Grant PRESSURE: