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Home - Sundays - Newsletters - Calvary Connects
TueTuesdayNovNovember15th2011
Standing on Giant's Shoulders - Responding to Jesus - Oct. 23, 2011
“The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”[b] that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 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. Romans 10:7-9
What has God put into the DNA of this church? In talking with a number of people, a common theme was the way God wants to have a relationship with us.
There are some of us who don't remember ever not having God in our lives. There are others of us for whom this tangible relationship seems to be elusive, even though we may have come to church for many years.
Like a roller coaster, there is a tipping point at the top where there is a pause and a letting go; similarly, for some of us, there is a letting go required to completely trust in God and let go of the logical 'yeah buts', doubts and or fears about whether He will accept us; it is these sort of thought that might be holding us back.
The truth is that God longs for us to say "come in". He longs for us to invite Him into our lives.
We come to church to draw close to Him. To be reminded of His love for us.
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]”
4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d]
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:1-8, 16-21
Jesus never had one way of inviting people to have a relationship with Him. You might think that Jesus would welcome Nicodemus; instead He opened with a challenge. He recognized that Nicodemus was hiding by coming out at night.
Jesus said, I'm not here to condemn the world, but to set it free.
Jesus approaches each one of us differently.
These three things are what Jesus always says to those who want a relationship with Him:
1. Forgiveness - Jesus wants us to let go of past hurts and "be born again". He wants us to let go of bad habits. Sin is people seeking to meet legitimate needs in the wrong way. E.g. We might have a legitimate need for knowing that we will be cared for. However, we might try to get love in all the wrong ways. Or, we have a need for companionship. Today, many relationships are put into jeopardy or worse, crash, due to relationships with others on line. God loves to forgive us.
2. Follow - Jesus invited his disciples to follow him. Or, he said “go and love God the way you should.” With Nicodemus, he said, “you need to start again.”
3. Freedom - God loves to bring healing and freedom for people. Sometimes we forget to ask God to intervene. Sometimes we get afraid of the future. Sometimes we try to protect ourselves rather than trusting God to take care of us.
God loves to create moments where we have an opportunity to let go of our fears and doubts and let Him be in charge.
Many times when God does something in us, then we're more effective in doing something for others through our actions.
ThuThursdayNovNovember10th2011
Standing on Giant's Shoulders - Reaching Out - Oct. 16, 2011
Standing on Giant’s Shoulders – a series about remembering people who offered up their life so others could be free.
Jesus always sent his disciples out. He sent them to the highways and byways. He said, "you need to be there." There is where the poor, the needy, and the lowly are.
When we reach out to us, God impacts us as well. Our hearts get changed. When we do beautiful things for God, God does beautiful things in us.
The Workers Are Few
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
somehow when we put ourselves out there and we let ourselves go, it's only then the God starts to rub off the rough edges and works I. Our lives. Matthew 9:34-42
At leadership camp, we're taught that's it is all about serving. When we forget what God has done in us, we lose a sense of compassion for the world around us. When we serve... when we offer ourselves, we begin to see things the way God sees them.
Jesus saw the lepers and helped them. He gave empathy to the prostitute and was reviled by the Pharisees for doing so.
Maybe God wants to send us somewhere to help others.
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:14
It's about knowing and loving God yourself so that you can serve without being drained. When we serve with God, it's like he fuels us. He keeps us filled us so that we can pour out into others' lives. Sometimes serving wears us out and therefore we have to remember to seek God.
Sometimes we serving can be about us... We're looking for something in return.
Currently, charities are in a crisis of volunteerism because donors are getting donor fatigue and volunteerism is dropping off. The pending perfect storm is that it's at a time when governments are withdrawing funding support to charities.
We know that God loves us so much that He wants to send us out.
When we step to do something beautiful for others, He steps out to do something beautiful to us.
You can listen to the audio version of this message at
http://www.calvaryunited.com/10121/blogentry/entry_id/269020/Oct_16_2011
TueTuesdayNovNovember8th2011
Thanksgiving - October 9, 2011
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:5
When was the last time you shouted for joy?
When you picture a real celebration, what do you picture?
In a religious sense, 'shout' looks like praise bursting forth in loud noises. It is extra special when it seems to break out of nowhere.
Augustine said, the Christian should be an alleluia from head to foot.
Do you remember seeing newsreels of dancing in the streets at the end of the Second World War? Or the fall of the Berlin wall?
Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
2 For the LORD Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
4 He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.[b]
5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.
8 God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings[c] of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted. Psalm 47
Worship is each one of us coming together in the presence of God. The service of worship is to focus on who God is. It is not about our striving to come close to God. Worship shows people who God is.
Our worship shows that we are serious and it encourages us to reach out to others. You become like what you worship.
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18
Acknowledge that the Lord is God. He made us and we are his. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
There is a difference between hearing something and acknowledging it. There is an element of practicing that feels like you're going through the motions. However, when we practice what we know, it will become habit.
There is an acknowledging of people as well. Who is it that we might acknowledge for how they've sown into our life?
Acknowledging is the beginning step that eventually gets us to the point of overflowing with praise for God's goodness.
In a culture that is often critical and negative, it is helpful to focus on who God is and what He IS doing. When we practice, what we know of God, it helps us to expect more of Him.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.
The password to be in God's presence is to give Him thanks.
Jesus said "I am the good shepherd and I lay myself down for my sheep." Jesus invites us into His care. God is a God who is good and who comforts us when things aren't good.
You can listen to the audio version of this sermon at
http://www.calvaryunited.com/10121/blogentry/entry_id/268755/Oct_9_2011___Thanks_Givings
ThuThursdayOctOctober6th2011
He Lifts Us Up
There is something great about lifting someone else up to see, so that they can see farther than you.
We become what we honour. When we take the time to look at and praise what we honour, it impacts us.
Are you welcoming naturally? There are some people in our church who are particularly welcoming... Who was it that welcomed you to Calvary?
One of the wells this church draws from is a value to be "a welcoming Christ-centered community."
When people take the time to show they are interested, it helps us to feel welcomed. The forefathers of this church, Methodist preachers went out on horse-back to welcome people into the faith.
Who has shown you Jesus? Who has made Him welcome to you? Sometimes it's the small things that we remember -- like a smile... an offer of help... deep listening.
When others make us feel like we matter, we are seeing a glimpse of God.
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. Matthew 9:35
Jesus does many things to demonstrate that we matter to God. In this scripture, Jesus models compassion.
Jesus calls disciples to help Him reach "the lost.".
Freely you have received, freely give.
Jesus' culture was a culture based on honour. In that time, your reputation was everything. People expected to be treated to the extent that they were honoured. However, Jesus reached out to those who did not feel like that they had been honoured.
Could it be that God brought the people in our lives who have welcomed us so that we, in turn, could reach out to others? Have they taught us how to love others?
What if we practiced honouring other people in the way that others have expressed honour to us?
We live in a culture where people don't come to church as much. Therefore, may we welcome others outside the church as we have been welcomed here.
The meaning of being welcomed is being accepted with pleasure.
Unfortunately, we were unable to record this week's sermon....sorry!
TueTuesdayOctOctober4th2011
Standing on Giant's Shoulders
How does God use us as parents, as a church, or as community members to break into where there has been darkness?
Think about some of moments of breakthrough that you've experienced in your life. Moments such as learning to tie your shoes or ride a bike... Achieving a goal...
Elijah was one of the great prophets of Israel. This is the story of him passing the baton to Elisha, his protégée. Elijah had stuck close to God through some intense opposition. He was a mighty man of God.
Elijah Taken Up to Heaven
1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.”
But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”
“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”
11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.
13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.
15 The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 “Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has picked him up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.” 2 Kings 2:1-2, 7-15
This is an example of a breakthrough moment. Elisha longed to live out of what Elijah had. He wasn't worried about what would be lost when Elijah went to Heaven; rather, he wanted desperately to carry on from where Elijah had left off.
Sir Isaac Newton said, “If I have seen a little further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”
Breakthroughs pave the way for others. These breakthroughs start to happen when we build on what others have sown into us. We've had heroes in our lives who have shown us God.
Elisha boldly asked God for a double portions of what Elijah had. We too can get a double portion by “standing on the shoulders of (the) Giants (who went before us)”. How might this happen?
1) it's personal – Elisha learned from Elijah. He spent many hours with him.
2) it's God-given. – 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. 2 Corinthians 9:3
3) it doesn't just happen. - Let’s ask ourselves who God put in our lives so that we could go further.
Elisha did double the miracles, but he didn't do the same miracles. God is a creative God. The same principles of God might best be articulated and heard by others in a different way.
Let's reflect on and honour the giants in our lives. Let's seek from God the way He would have us stand on their shoulders and carry on their legacy. Let's practice carrying the torch for others.
Perhaps there are some people in your life that you would like to thank for planting in you hope, dreams, Jesus, acceptance, and other seeds that you particularly value. Then, think about how you might pass that along to the next generation.
You can listen to the audio version of this sermon by going to:
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