Vision for 2024
The elders have reflected on several possibilities and felt led to “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” As our year text for this year. We will look in more depth at the context in a couple of week’s time. This morning I will focus on our text… “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Cor 3:17b
We are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory – more and more glory. The freedom to Spirit brings is not a static freedom it is a transforming and progressive freedom.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Freedom to Love.
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Galatians 5:13
‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say – but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’– but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. 1 Cor 10:23-24
The Freedom we have in Christ and by the Spirit is not a freedom from responsibility or to indulge the flesh. It is a freedom to serve one another humbly in love. This needs to guide and guard our understanding of the freedom the Spirit brings. It is a freedom to love God and each other more and more.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Freedom to Worship
In the context, when our year text speaks about the freedom the Spirit brings it has in mind the freedom to encounter God without anything separating us from one another or from God. WOW. Imagine that. By becoming flesh Jesus has created a bond between humanity and the divine. Jesus has opened a way for us to enter the presence of God by His atoning sacrifice when we are immersed in Him. He has also removed ever dividing wall between us. It is the Spirit who enables us to experience that intimacy right now.
But there is something yet more mysterious and more glorious going on here. As we each gaze upon the Lord’s glory His glory is reflected from our lives to each other.
The glory revealed to Moses and which led his face to physically glow, was not the Law. It was the mercy of God. More of this in a couple of weeks’ time, but you can read about in Exodus 32 to 34. Moses reflected the LORD’s glory when he received a revelation of the Lord’s great mercy
“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.”
Now, as we look at one another we see the compassionate grace of God, reflected as if in a mirror because in each other we see the LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love, forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. We see this in each other only when we live open and honest lives with each other. When as Paul would say, we live in the truth. Now we will see only a reflection in a mirror then we shall see Him face to face. (1 Cor 13:12)
We do not only see the Lord through each other, we can also come directly into His presence. One day we will meet our redeemer in our resurrection body (face to face) but until then the way we enter His presence directly is by the Spirit. We commune – Spirit to Spirit.
This is why Jesus says “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.’” (John 4:23-24)
During the charismatic renewal we also experienced a new liberty in worship. I want to invite you to enter that freedom for the first time or to remember it and enter it once again.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
Notice that if we do not stand firm we will be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Specifically, Paul has in mind the Law. A rigid legalism in our approach to our worship. Have you lost your liberty in worship?
Reclaim that intimacy of worshipping God spirit to Spirit. This might include emotions but what I am talking about is deeper than emotion.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Freedom to Learn
Our teaching will continue to support our vision. This isn’t academic teaching. We teach the things of the Spirit to those who are Spirit-filled. All our teaching is rooted firmly in exposition of the bible. This means the power of the Spirit flows through it. This year we plan to continue in our series in Acts reminding ourselves how the Spirit-filled church responded to the resurrection of Jesus. In our all-age services, our theme will be “more and more”, as we explore together the promises of ongoing transformation in Scripture. Complete darkness is the absolute absence of light it can’t get any darker. Light on the other hand can always get brighter and brighter. As we contemplate the Lord’s glory, we are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
We will continue to offer Let the Redeemed of the Lord share their story – in our evening services. The next one will be next Sunday evening. The aim of these times is to provide opportunities to: share a testimony, recent or looking over a longer period; test a prophetic word; talk about what you have been hearing as you have asked God questions. It is a safe place to go deeper in the Spirit. A place to learn how to exercise the gifts of the Spirit and hence to build one another up.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Freedom to make disciples
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Matthew 28:18-20
We do not need to win converts to get into heaven but there is no limit on the number of disciples we can make. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Alpha
An opportunity to invite people to find out more about the Christian faith.
Brighter follow-up
Evangelism doesn’t have to be institutional, that is organised by the church. We can each seek the Lord and ask Him to give us specific words of knowledge to lead us in sharing the good news. After Chris’s visit it was suggested, we organise another day like that, and we might, but the point is that we don’t need to wait for an organised event to ask God to lead us.
Children
Rock Solid, All Age services, Sunday Club, Craft Events.
Cooking Together@Home
You can get involved by donating items of food, money or time.
Notice boards – Through generosity of the members a significant investment will be made into our external noticeboards. The condition and content of our noticeboards is one of the first things those outside the church see.
Further afield we continue to support: CSW, Asia Link, YFC, Home Mission, AIM, GenR8, Stand by Me, YWAM, Mercy Ships and BMS. Thank you to all our mission reps. This year we will have a visit from Jim Gourlay from Asia Link.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Freedom to go on being filled with the Spirit
Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom
John 3:34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.
Holy Spirit is not rationed. Paul tells us to go on being filled with the Spirit and Jesus promised that the Father would give Holy Spirit to all those who ask for Holy Spirit will receive.
We help to build a spirit-filled church by being spirit-filled individuals. I can’t make you more spirit-filled. All we can do is invite Holy Spirit to fill us, then use the gifts which He brings. Prayer ministry. To remove all barriers to the Spirit filling us and flowing out through us.
In every place in us where the Spirit is invited to be Lord there will be unrestricted access into the very presence of God. This might bring healing, wholeness, conviction, repentance, salvation, gifts of the Spirit, or the fruit of the Spirit.
This is really the point of gathering in worship.
Response
I still believe God has called us to build a loving, worshipping, learning, evangelistic, and Spirit-filled fellowship here in Burwell.
I still believe that God has promised to bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples.
I still believe that God has promised we will be a beacon.
Will you join us in that task this year by …
Join us in worship, become a member, come to the prayer meeting, join the congregation group, volunteer to serve, persevere in what you are doing already, by not growing weary of doing good.