All Souls, Langham Place – 27/06/2004

“Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it” (Malachi 3:10)

What is this all about? To put it simply, money. When spiritual life is at a low ebb, the giving by God’s people descends to such pitiful depths that – as the prophet Malachi describes it – it is no different from the barefaced robbing of God.

An appeal would go up; We need to provide for God’s work!

– “Oh, er…. I’ve got this diseased animal I could bring for sacrifice. It’s a bit blemished, but I think it might do” (Malachi 1:13,14).

Major repairs for the church building! We could do with some cheques!

– “Um”. I don’t mind making a few cakes!”

How big is our God? How big is the hold of the Gospel on our lives? What place does the church of Jesus Christ have in our minds? The answer to those questions is most likely to be reflected in our approach to Christian giving. When our obedience to the Gospel is clear, God’s promised blessings and provision are multiplied beyond all expectation.

Richard Bewes – Rector, All Souls Langham Place

Col. 2:20-3:11 – Christ is all and is in all

All Souls 06/27/2004 – Colossians 2:20-3:11 – Michael Reeves

Christ The All Supreme – ‘Christ is all and is in all’

Benedetto Giuseppe Labre gave up everything to win salvation.

Bathing, haircuts, clothes everything. (v21)

Failure of human religions.= win salvation.

Adam do not touch! Genesis.& lost.

we .do it as well

God provided his law & festivals to show they couldnt earn salvation for themselves.

Daily reminders of his grace v16

Old creation wil die to give a new creation. This is the purpose of the law, to lead us to the gospel.

Mankind twisted the gospel into a set of rules to see how He & others have performed. v16&17, 22. ref Is29:13

Basic principles v.20=demonic powers=human religion=Christless morality.

v20 – looks like true christianity, but isnt.

v23 – useless human religion slaving to an unattainable salvation.

Christianity is not a spectator-new identity * 3:1 we have a new past. the old is destroyed.

* 3:3we have new present in Christ v. 3:1 our reality on he throne with him

*3:4 we have a new future. seen with him undestructible. New creation. not death but appearing with him in glory.

We already have salvation if we trust in him. we live from & in salvation. Live your new life on the throne of heaven.

belly button gazing 14th century Greek monks style of meditation (omphaloskepsis)

battle of sin becomes a battle with ourselves & selfobsession. obsess urself with Christ – mind & body. see his purity & want to rid urself of ur impurity. fill urself with Xt & allow urself with him not ur self-desires. rid urself of all 3v8-9.

v9-10 self is renewed (Col.1:15) knowledge of Jesus &.his image.just as Jesusisthe image of the father.

Christ is your identity. Are you first & foremost a christian? A lawyer? A labourer? No! You are first and foremost a christian. all one in Christ. Not English. Not Aussie. Not scottish. Not American. Christ is all & in all. is Christ all to you?

Are you living to salvation or living from salvation?

Christ has died

Christ has risen

Christ has hidden

Christ has soon to appear again

Christ is all.

Replace rules with trust!

This sermon should appear here soon if you want to listen to it.

1 Cor.15:12-34 – Our resurrection

CCWC 06/20/2004 1 Cor.15:12-34

“Our resurrection”

William Muncey

Recap

Post-its – ta remember

Proof – the evidence is there

Personal – lives that are changed

*Can the dead be raised?

quit preaching, nothing to believe

lying about God &he is a liar

lost in your sins. not forgiven Rom 4:25

no hope & living a lie! we are here to have eternal fellowship with God. spolt by the fall. plan of salvation. resurrection essential.

*BUT Jesus was raised.500+ witnesses. spoke about ressurection & good news.

*BUT death came by a man – Adam. world is caught up by sin..sickness etc.

*BUT Resurrection.came by a man Union with Adam

*BUT we need spiritual rebirth by choice. Union with Christ.

Important & essential? No question

Be enthusiastic.

Eternal destiny.

All Souls – 20/06/2004

All Souls Church, Langham Place – Preb. Richard Bewes

“…that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3 KJV)

I was once involved in a debate with some secular humanists. They raised what they felt to be the ‘unfairness’ of heaven (if it existed) being peopled only by followers of Jesus.

“Would you like to be in heaven – if it existed?” I asked. They rather thought they would.

“But”, I pointed out, “the main feature of life in the next world is being in the home of Jesus Christ. It would seem very illogical for someone to want to have everything to do with Christ in the next life, when they have had nothing to do with him in this!”

Christ’s words in John 14 are full of reassurance for those who – in this life – have thrown in everything with him. Wherever he goes, wherever he is, we will surely follow to be with him. Think of a needle and thread. Wherever the needle goes, the thread follows. You belong to Jesus Christ? You are joined to him, threaded into him by a power that can never be broken, one day to be with him, for ever.

We have begun……

the foundations have been laid, and the walls and roof are under construction :)