So you may or may not know that I went home last weekend, mainly to go to my home CU's house party! I figured it would be a good chance to see my parents beforehand, try on a bridesmaid dress for my brother's wedding next summer, see my friends, and be encouraged!! You forget so easily how much we rely on our language in church and CU etc.
It was so nice to be able to listen to the Bible teaching in english, and to sing together in english, and to pray together in english. Maybe this year will help me to not take that for granted again in the future.
The speaker was Michael Ots and we looked in four sessions, at parts of Acts and about mission! These were some main points:
Acts 1:1-5:
We are part of the story … evangelism is not small, it's the fulfillment of the Old Testament!
Jesus is alive…don’t try and sweep doubts under the carpet where they will build up. (You can hang your life on Jesus remember…? Ask historical questions!)
Acts 1:1-8
The promise that God's plan will be fulfilled … God sovereignly uses all of our circumstances.
"Wherever you are, be all there" - Jim Elliot
The promise that God's power will be given. (we ARE the ends of the earth… god's promise is STILL working.)
Three things we learn about mission (acts 16:1-15):
The cost of mission … it was painful for Jesus, it was painful for the disciples, it can be for us too.
The Call to mission … you can't draw a line between social action and telling people the gospel. Telling people the Gospel is the GREATEST way to help people!
The Consequence of mission … often what seems insignificant can be huge. (read shining like stars… big time!)
Why was paul so confident? (acts 26 v 19-32) :
Because he was CONVINCED that the Gospel was TRUE… are you CONVINCED? (that even if you don’t know the answers you can go away and find them?)
Because he was CONVINCED that the Gospel was GOOD. (have we lost the wonder of the cross?)
The thing that struck me the most was being content serving God where you are. He was talking about how we need to get on with serving God where we are, not wishing we were serving him somewhere else. Or in any situation… where you are, what you're studying, relationship status etc…
Also a song we sang a lot over the weekend, which I've liked for ages, kept really hitting me every time we sang it. I find the bridgey bit towards the end something to pray for myself and others…
Hosanna - Hillsong
I see the king of glory
Coming on the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes
The whole earth shakes
I see his love and mercy
Washing over all our sin
The people sing
The people sing
Hosanna
Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
I see a generation
Rising up to take their place
With selfless faith
With selfless faith
I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek
We're on our knees
We're on our knees
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
Finally, a video… we did have some relaxation time amid all the great bible-ness! :P I hope this link will let you watch it, I don't know if you can embed from facebook… it's immense! :P (the guy rapping… yes… that’s Michael Ots..the speaker) :D
http://www.facebook.com/#/video/video.php?v=1295303024932&ref=mf
No comments:
Post a Comment