Rebecca spoke about “giving up or selling out.” Drawing the distinction in our imitation of Christ that it is not so much giving up certain things but surrendering everything and being obedient to God. That in our giving authority to God it is based on the confidence and trust in God's love for us.
Jane spoke to the parable of Jesus in Luke 14:25-33 concerning what Jesus taught about counting the cost before you build. How do we draw up the “cost benefit analysis” of the real cost of true discipleship when the entry fee is nothing but life membership is everything ? In this summons to put Jesus as pre pre-eminent in all our relationships is also to be aware of the excuses people make as illustrated in the Great Banquet invitation of Luke 14:15 to 24.
Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the VPBC website
Geoff summarized the journey to date for the first two months as we reach the half way stage as regards the Building part of BOB. He then looked at Jesus teaching on prayer in Matthew 6;5-15 in the context of living stones and the need, role and place of forgiveness in building “ God's new community”
Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the VPBC website
Georgina continued the theme of Building Outreach and Belonging, she speaks of the Nehemiah and focuses on the gates around the city.
Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the VPBC website
Jane spoke to 1 Peter 1 & 2;1-10 getting rid of the stuff that contaminates the building using the challenges facing the building of the Olympics in ground preparation as an illustration. The talk identified those things from the text that harm others and moving to actively decontaminating our relationships and to then choosing what nourishes and builds up.
Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the VPBC website
Building with living stones draws its title from the text 1 Peter 2:1-10. The senior pastor Jane highlights that God is building towards a new heaven and earth established at Christ’s return and that we can cooperate with Him in the here and now in that design and build. While no living stone is rejected it is about people and relationships built the right way as lives are genuinely offered to Christ to let ourselves be used in the building of the kingdom. We are stuck together with a purpose to build a living community on Jesus as the living stone.
Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the VPBC website
The reading is from 1 Cor 3:10-23 looking at what will inform the assessment of the quality of our work which will be tested by God as by fire. The heat will show its true mettle, but if our foundation is built on Christ we are accepted whatever the eventual build quality what is produced. The preacher is Rebecca Suknenko.
Notes will usually be available on the downloads section of the VPBC website
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