Elvis has been called it. So has Graham Kennedy, Michael Jackson, LeBron James, Wally Lewis, Wayne Carey, Shane Warne and Peter Brock. The King! Those who are given that nickname are lauded for their greatness, are sought for a selfie or autograph and are cherished for the memorabilia that serves as a reminder of their greatness. But it is a nickname that comes with a steep price. Take on that crown and you are required to be flawless. Take on that crown and your life will be subjected to constant scrutiny. Take on that crown and every word will be analysed. The truth is, there is only one true King who can live up to the scrutiny placed on him, the perfection expected of him. There is only one King whose sole purpose in life was to abandon his own greatness so you could share in it. There is only one King who gave up his glory and grandeur so those could be yours. There is only one King who had the power and authority to do what needed to be done and was willing to pay the steep price, to sacrifice his own life so your could live freely and fully as a child of the Father. Jesus is the true King who chose to wear one crown, to take one road, to walk one path that would forever change the trajectory of human life...and forever reclaim you in the Father's love and make you a co-heir of all of God's blessings. That's the truth we'll experience today.
"A shot across the bow" is a term that derives from the naval practice of firing a cannon shot across the bow of an opponent's ship to show them that you are prepared to do battle.
It could be fired towards any ship whose 'colours' (nationality/identity) had to be determined. A ship fired upon had to hoist their flag, and confirm their identity with a gun shot. These days, the phrase means to send a warning, and in many ways, Jesus is shooting a cannon ball over the bow of our lives as a warning shot today. Show your true colours! Show who you are! Live who you are. For it is no longer business as usual. Life with Jesus disrupts our old life. Following Jesus transforms every part of our life, and that transformation is to be witnessed in and through how we live our daily lives. His transformation in us creates space to reflect on his work in our lives, and gives us the opportunity to dwell in his presence. He has set us apart as his witnesses, and calls us to give our lives over to him as we live in a way that creates space for others to have access to that same transformation. Discipleship begins with witness, the witness of our lives as those transformed by the presence of Jesus.
#6 and final in series: 'Discipleship begins with "W"'
'Perseverance, persistence, tenacity, sacrifice, determination.' All of these are words that describe the ability to finish a hard task assigned, to complete a difficult work, to achieve a desired outcome. All these words describe the life of discipleship in following Jesus and doing his works. It's not easy. It requires perseverance, persistence, tenacity, sacrifice and determination. It is motivated by love and inspired by a faith that believes that only Jesus can give people the life that enables them to flourish. As disciples of Jesus, he desires a congruency between the faith we profess and the works we do, that other's might receive the transformation they really need. We'll explore that today.
#5 in series: Discipleship begins with `W"
'A little learning or a little knowledge is a dangerous thing' It can lull you into thinking that you are more expert that you really are. It can lead to overconfidence in a given situation that suddenly turns into that moment. That moment when you realise that you are in way over your head, you are way out of your depth and you have a real battle on your hands. It can have catastrophic consequences. In the journey of discipleship there are moments when the task required is bigger, the decision more complex, and the job more involved than we thought, requiring more of us than we possess, or have the ability to deal with. It's been that way for God's chosen people since time began, it continued for disciples in Jesus' day, and it a war that we confront more often than we would like to admit. But there is good news. Jesus reveals a way to walk that overcomes doubt, builds confidence and wins the war. We'll explore that today.
#4 in series: Discipleship begins with 'W'
“Best actor”...Gold Medalist... Grand Final Winner...Most Valuable Player...Australian Open Champion. Those accolades snd others like them get etched in memory and on trophies...The also-rans, not so much. We don’t well remember the ones who faltered in the 1st round, finished in the middle of the pack or got an honourable mention...
In real life, “participation ribbons” don’t receive a lot of applause. In a world organized around success, that’s hard to hear and embrace…In the Kingdom of God, there is a different metric that is valued and highlighted for us that Jesus calls us to live for. Jesus says it this way: “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”
Living the way of Jesus is about living how Jesus lived; how he would deal with people and circumstances in your life as if he was you. Living the way of Jesus is growing in our capacity and desire to widen the circle so that all people find a space to draw near and receive the grace of God. That's what we will explore today.
#3 in series: Discipleship begins with a 'W'
Foundations are the first part of any construction. The foundation distributes load from what is built above to the ground below to enable enduring strength and resilience of the building once completed. A strong foundation will map out the rest of the building's construction and protect the construction from compounding defects that undermine the integrity and longevity of the building.The same is true in our lives as disciples. Getting the foundation right is essential so that our lives, which are built on it, can stand strong and thrive whatever outside circumstances we encounter. Discipleship begins with Words - God's Word which not only maps out the rest of our life's construction and direction, but reveals a distinct architecture that will get people talking. We'll explore that today.
#2 in Lenten Series: "Discipleship begins with 'W'
When Jesus said, ‘Follow me’, he invited ordinary people to do one thing…walk. Walk with him. It’s a journey of walking exclusively with Jesus. An intentional journey in grace, a deliberate way of living that increases in us the likeness of Jesus. t’s a humbling journey that involves suffering and requires commitment, sacrifice, and endurance. But for those who faithfully walk with him to the end, Jesus promises a crown of life that no-one can take away.
Discipleship begins with worship and Lent is a specific period of 40 days where we purposefully focus on what it means to walk in the life and way of Jesus, to follow him to the cross. Tonight God invites us into his presence, into a spiriutal workout where he promises to retrain our heart, reform our desires and rehabituates our lives for Kingdom living.
Algorithms are everywhere! From the sequential steps we follow when using a recipe, to the system we use for filing paper or files on our computer. From the sequencing of traffic lights to the scheduling of bus and train timetables. From the facial recognition behind many phone logins to the music suggested to us on music platforms, down to the ads and posts that pop up on your social media account. They even control whether you are approved for a home loan or not! Algorithms reach into every part of our lives and are simply a set of rules that are followed to produce a certain outcome.
What if there was a sequence of steps, an algorithm that we could employ that would enable us to live lives of vibrant discipleship? There is. God declares today a relationship algorithm that is vibrant, dynamic, gives focus and clarity, and will transform every circumstance. We'll explore and discover that powerful algorithm that guides our lives and lights up our world today.
#3 and final in Vision series: Vibrant
Vital signs. At almost every healthcare appointment, a person's vital signs will be taken and recorded. Vital signs like:
- Body temperature
- Pulse rate
- Respiration rate (rate of breathing)
- Blood pressure
- Oxygen saturation
These vital signs are intended to give the healthcare professional a picture of the current physiological status of a patient and when measured against a baseline range, can determine the health or otherwise of an individual. Likewise in the Church, there are vital signs that measure the health of a vibrant community. A key vital sign is vibrant relationships characterised by authentic togetherness and genuine hospitality. When these two factors are a pulsating reality in our relationships, the Spirit of unity, connection, and belonging in present with life-transforming power.
God's deepest longing and joy is for us to experience a deep and vibrant relationship with him and others, so today we are going to do a spiritual check-up to make sure we can experience life in its fullness, a life that shares in vibrant relationships.
#2 in Vision series: Vibrant