Jylan and Nathan recently returned from 6 months overseas completing a YWAM Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Japan. The DTS programme involves both a “lecture phase” and an “outreach phase”. It’s exciting to hear first hand from them how God was present with them through that time and used them to reach out to people who didn’t know Jesus. Let’s keep our ears open for what the Spirit might impart to us through what they have to share! Whenever someone shares a story or testimony about the things God has done or is doing, it carries a prophetic power to encourage us and speak to us about what the Spirit of God can do in and through our own lives.

Acts 16:1-10 Pastor Caroline continues with an examination of what it really means to be a disciple of Jesus – following him, being willing to do whatever it takes to communicate the good news of Jesus in different ministry contexts.

Caroline begins taking us on a journey of exploring what it means to be a disciple, through looking at the example set by Paul and his companions in taking the gospel message to the gentile nations. In this Part 1, we see Paul and Barnabas going to Jerusalem (Acts 15:13-21) to work out some problems that were manifesting in the early church, working out the distinctions between obeying Jewish Law and salvation by faith in Christ for all people. Division is a tactic of Satan to bring harm to people, whereas the gospel declares new peace and unity in Jesus. Having discerned the Holy Spirit’s guidance together, they wrote a letter (Acts 15:22-29) for all the churches to have the same understanding – “that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” (v19).

In Luke 19:11-27 Jesus told a story that was intended to correct some wrong thinking about the Kingdom of God. The central command given by the king is “Put this money to work until I come back.” The stewardship of the gospel message and heaven’s resources have been entrusted to those who serve Jesus. We have been entrusted with a job to do until Jesus returns. According to this and numerous other teachings and parables of Jesus, he expects his faithful and wise servants to CONTINUE in that task until his return.

Scriptures that we are so familiar with can come alive at a deeper level when we look deeply into the language of the original writers and think in a Hebrew manner rather that our Western way of processing. John 3:16 reveals a picture of the seed of Sonship being planted into the world. We can make the choice to receive God’s seed of His Son and BELIEVE – that is, nurture, nourish and protect the life of the Son implanted within us through a dynamic relationship with God, and exchange the fear that binds and cripples us for the power and love and life of the unique identity that God has designed for each of us. For the benefit of listeners the image below captures what was drawn on the whiteboard during this message.

Jesus offers an invitation to “Come, follow me.” It’s about a journey with him rather than a static learning experience. Psalm 84:5-7 says, “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.” Psalm 84:5-7 There is great blessing to be found in recognising that life is a journey in which we discover God’s sustaining presence and power, and also leads us ultimately to a place of encountering him. He is our destination as well as our travelling companion.

What does it mean to be a “father” in modern society, or in God’s family – this community we call “the church”? It doesn’t happen automatically – just because you or I are older does not mean we get to become a parental figure for anyone else. Being a father or father-figure is not about exercising authority. Neither is it always permanent. Somtimes we get only a moment or a short season in which to show nuture and care, to impart guidance and wisdom to someone who is in need of help. Ultimately, all fatherhood comes from God, and it is He who shows us how to raise others up (either children or children in the faith) up to maturity.

Idolatry in the Old Testament was easy to identify because there were physical idols, altars, groves and practices surrounding them. It is not so easy to relate these practices to today, when what we elevate above God is often unseen. And yet we remain accountable for who or what we worship, and what we allow to take priority in our lives and occupy our devotion. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to identify the idols in our lives and learn how radical impact for the gospel requires radical obedience.

Jesus made a very loud and public invitation, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:37-38). The following verse gives clarity that Jesus is talking about the gift of the Holy Spirit, who after Christ’s resurrection and ascension to heaven was made available to all who believe in Jesus (v39). There is some discussion amongst bible scholars about the “locus” of the rivers of living water that Christ talked about. Is it from within Jesus, or from within the believer? The construction of the Greek text allows for either! But the plurality of ‘rivers’ should probably suggest that Jesus is saying the Spirit will flow like a river from every believer. There is certainly precedence for this elsewhere in Scripture (e.g. John 4:14). But the purpose in John 7 gives a picture of an outward flow – something beyond the individual. No one has been able to identify a specific Old Testament scripture that Jesus was quoting, but there is certainly a theme of rivers and transformation that permeates the prophetic message of the Old Testament.

So why would God let one rock strike in Meribah prevent Moses from seeing the land God had promised Israel? What can we learn from Moses’ big mistake…