Preach it John!

Oh, you have got to see this! John Piper who wrote such classics as “Desiring God” and “When I don’t desire God” (available free online www.desiringgod.org), speaks about the importance of small groups and following up the preached word.

I came across it while thinking about producing a couple of booklets for the church. One on small groups for people wanting to find out more about them and one for people who might be thinking about helping lead a group.

Anyway listen to this:

“I preach, God is merciful often to take the word preached and pierce and open and save and heal. But the church is designed to do another thing as well as preach, namely gathering little assemblies and ask the prophetic question “go get your husband”. I can’t come down out of this pulpit and go to every single person and say “go get your husband”. And that’s the next step often needed after I commend living water and you’re locked up and nothings happening and you leave and go nowhere. Because small groups are designed to take the word and by supernatural wisdom and gifts and holy Spirit power penetrate where I didn’t. That’s the way the church is supposed to work. So I’m pleading with you. Don’t play games by making this a preaching point. We are not hear to entertain people who jump from church to church. We want to gather saints and do church the way Jesus designed for us to know each other love each other and take the word of God preached and push it into the recesses of each others hearts and hold on to people and never let them go five marriages or what. ..please please live in community as we try to help you, in small groups.”

It’s 10 times more powerful when you hear him say it so why not visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC4pmIZ5GhA  or go to youtube and type in “Piper small groups”. Actually you could spend a very productive time just typing “John Piper” in to youtube.

Back to preach preparation. I’m looking at “Calling on the name of the Lord”. It’s a little verse right at the end of chapter 4 about Cain and Abel. Its like hearing the bubbling of a spring in a dry land. What a beautiful noise. So soon after the fall and the curses and the thrones and murder, we come across people calling on the name of the Lord. And its only in chapter 4! 

Loving Jesus

I was at a conference recently and someone recommended I listen to some of the “Jesus Culture” worship songs coming out of Bill Johnson’s Church. Thanks to itunes I quickly downloaded an album.  I wasn’t immediately taken by it but you know how it is with some Albums and the more I listened the more I began to enjoy it and get caught up in worship and finding myself singing its simple lines over and over during the day. As my friend said ‘its big on loving Jesus’. Too right it is. Listen to this:

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.

Verse 2:
We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
….

Bring it on! But why is worship such a wonderful life giving experience? Its because we focus on the wonderful one who is the source of life itself. I love imagining the day when Jesus comes back and every eye is on him. The stars depart their job done. Light floods the earth. A noise rises like the crowd at a football match only global in magnitude and intensity. We see him! Our hero, our saviour, our king. Come Lord Jesus. What joy that my sin is paid for. What ecstasy to be loved so much. Eyes like blazing fire. I’ve got the track “You won’t relent” on at the moment.

“For there is love that is as strong as death
Jealousy, demanding as the grave

waters cannot quench this love!

come be the fire inside of me

come be the flame upon my heart

come be the fire inside of me

until you and I are one”

Got some prep still to do but going to enjoy being with Jesus for a bit. Can’t wait to worship tomorrow with the church. Whoa! how He loves.

be baptised!

I had a great time talking to people last night who are thinking about joining the church. We had over 25 people on our last getting connected course and are now enjoying catching up with them individually as they come into the church family. Its so encouraging to hear how much people are enjoying the church; the worship, the teaching, the friendships.

Interestingly, two of the things we often end up talking about with people are baptism in water and the holy Spirit. When people get saved its often in response to a proclamation of the gospel that emphasises repentance and faith. Nothing wrong with that but I am always struck by the first gospel message preached by peter:

"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

Peter includes baptism and receiving the Spirit as a key part of his invitation to respond to Jesus’ death and resurrection. What a privilege therefore to be able to talk with people about these things and see them establish a great foundation in their new life in Christ.  

There are some great resources around if you want to strengthen your understanding of these things and help others enjoy all that God has for them. The bible is a good place to start of course! A few years ago I went through acts and underlined all the references to being filled with the Spirit in purple. I still use it to remind myself and show others what an amazing thing God is offering us.

More recently, this months Newfrontiers magazine has a great article about baptism in it by Matt Partridge and we also have some great resources online in our very own kings people web site including a FAQ on baptism in water. Finally there is David Pawson’s “The normal Christian birth” which covers repentance, faith, water and spirit baptism in some detail.

Another key thing that is often overlooked in a normal Christian birth is being part of a local church. We are not meant to follow Jesus on our own but are born into a family. That’s why we are stepping up our efforts to see more and more people added to the church family at Kings.