Baptism May 2024
The baptism service we experienced today was a profound testament to the unwavering faith of those who openly declared their allegiance to Jesus. The air was electric with spiritual fervor, underscoring the moment's deep significance. Observing individuals proclaim their commitment to their beliefs infused the ceremony with a vibrant energy, enriching the collective experience. This shared declaration fostered a palpable unity and sense of shared mission, leaving a lasting impact on all who participated. It served as a joyous celebration of steadfast dedication and highlighted the profound bond our community shares with the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Baptism - Jan 2024
Today's baptism service resonated with powerful expressions of faith as individuals openly declared their allegiance to Jesus. The atmosphere was charged with spiritual energy, echoing the profound significance of the moment. Witnessing people publicly professing their commitment to their faith added a dynamic dimension to the ceremony. The collective declaration created a palpable sense of unity and shared purpose, making the day truly impactful. It was a celebration of unwavering devotion and a testament to the strength of our community's connection to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
New Years 2023
Our church's New Year's concert was an absolute joy, filled with anticipation and jubilation as we counted down to the start of a fresh chapter. The atmosphere was electric with music and laughter, creating a warm community spirit. As the clock struck midnight, hearts were touched, and the celebration took on a deeper meaning with several individuals joyfully embracing Christ, marking the beginning of a spiritually uplifting journey into the new year.
Christmas at PH Wandsworth Church
Get ready for a festive extravaganza on Sunday, December 17th, as we usher in the holiday spirit with our unique Christmas events. Join us for a heartwarming Christmas service where tradition meets a touch of fun as we encourage everyone to don their most festive Christmas jumpers. The excitement doesn't stop there – participate in our Best Jumper Competition for a chance to showcase your holiday style and win fantastic prizes. Meanwhile, our Christmas Funday for the little ones promises a day filled with joy and laughter. From thrilling games to a bouncy castle, face-painting, and more, there's something for every child to enjoy. To keep everyone fueled and hydrated, refreshments will be provided throughout the day. Mark your calendars for a day of celebration, laughter, and holiday cheer!
Worship Night
Our recent worship night was nothing short of transformative—a harmonious blend of soul-stirring melodies and heartfelt expressions of faith. The atmosphere was charged with an undeniable sense of spiritual connection, as voices resonated in unity and music elevated our collective spirits. The event surpassed all expectations, leaving attendees moved and inspired. If you missed out on this incredible night of worship, make sure not to miss the next one.
Baptism - 10th September
Yesterday was an incredibly moving and powerful day as we celebrated the baptism service, witnessing eight individuals take a profound step in their faith journey. It was a beautiful display of commitment and spiritual renewal as they publicly declared their faith and dedication to a life guided by Christ.
Who Am I?
I’ve always been somewhat perplexed when people ask me the question “And what do you do?”. Personally, I work to live, not live to work. My job takes up a large proportion of my week, but it doesn’t define who I am. God designed us to be so much more than what we do in life.
In the Christian movie Overcomer, there is a scene where Thomas, a dying man in hospital, asks John, a basketball coach: “If I ask you who you are, what’s the first thing that comes to mind”. John rattles through a list of activities “I’m a basketball coach, a history teacher, a husband, a father...” before, identifying as a “white, American male”. It is only when pressed further that John states ”I’m a Christian, a follower of Christ”. In response Thomas asks how important it is to him to be a Christian - and why it was so far down his list in the first place!
As we start the Year 2022, many people are making New Year’s resolutions. New Year’s Day is seen by many cultures around the world (indeed the tradition can be linked back as far as ancient Babylon) as a chance to hit the proverbial reset button, to start over. For some it is to budget better, for others it is lose weight, to learn a new topic or to cease an irritating habit.
As Christians we may set goals to pray more, to read our bibles more. As Brother James so eloquently put it during our Praise & Worship prior to service on Sunday, if we attempt change in our own strength we fail. It is only when we seek God’s strength we can succeed.
As a child, for many years I was determined to start the New Year by no longer biting my finger nails, a habit I have barely kicked today if I be honest! Regardless of the resolution, their purpose is simply an attempt to redefine who we are. It is an attempt to start doing something good, or to stop doing something bad to change the very character of who we are.
In our Sermon on Sunday 2nd January, the first of 2022, Pastor Courtney introduced our new sermon series “New Year, New You” based on the book of Ephesians. This series will look at where we should seek our identity from.
The sermon began with the story of a man who was suffering from amnesia after being found by an ambulance group. The man had all his skills and talents, he simply did not know who he was any more. He had lost his identity.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ
Ephesians 1:3
As we read earlier, the world tells us our identity is based in what we do in this life. For this reason, we spend our lives seeking to be something “better” than we are. We seek secure jobs, more money, we follow fashion and the latest trends. If we are single, we may seek to be married. We kid ourselves that if we could only do or have this, then life will be better for us. We do this, because the world says “You are what you do”, that we are defined by what we do or what we have.
Our scripture tells us something very different, it tells us “In Christ, you do what you are”. As Christians, we are not sinners because we sin, we sin because we are born as sinners. All of us. As Pastor explained, children do not need to be taught how to misbehave, they must be taught how to behave. We are born into a life of sin and we instinctively revert to the bad behaviours we know, based on what we’ve observed in life - unless we change our identity - and this is why New Year’s resolutions fail.
If the bible tells us our identify flows out of who we are, where do we get our identity from? Our identity comes from Jesus Christ. New life, real change, comes from obtaining a new identity in Jesus.
When Adam and Eve were created they were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). However, in Genesis 3:5, the devil sows doubt in Eve’s mind. The devil tells Eve “you will be” like God, if you eat the fruit. Eve was already like God so the devil attacks her identity, to cast doubt in her mind over who she truly was:
For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
Genesis 3:5
The devil constantly attacks our identity. Even Jesus was prone to attack when the devil asked Him “if you are the son of God” (Luke 4), even though God has already said to Jesus “You are my beloved Son”. If Jesus was attacked, we most definitely will be. Don’t let the devil try to make you doubt who you are in Christ!
As a Christian, we must know who we are in Christ. Our Christian identity must be based on two things. Knowing who God is and knowing who God says you are. We must win the battle to keep our identity in Christ.
This is why reading our bibles is so important. As a church, we have just started reading the Bible together in a One Year plan (contact your Host for details – click here). By reading our bibles, we learn more about who God truly is and we can learn who God says we are.
In the second Sermon in this series, on the 9th January, Pastor Courtney looked further into our identity, again following the book of Ephesians, by presenting how we can obtain a new identity. We also heard how when we base our identity on things we have done in life we become either arrogant or prideful as a result, alternatively, we can feel shame or hopeless if we have not achieved what the world tells us we should have achieved. Our identity, how we see ourselves, follows us wherever we go - into work, church and even into marriage. However, once we understand God chose us in Christ, through His grace, we find acceptance in our identity as a child of God.
If we truly seek change and growth in 2022, we need to ensure our identity is based in Jesus Christ. Only by trusting in Jesus, basing our identity on Him and His teachings can we truly bring change to our lives.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
Psalm 23:6
Base your identity on Christ, abide with Him and truly be blessed, not just in 2022, but forever.
Join us!
Join us every Sunday at 3PM as we continue the Series “New Year, New You”. You can either join us in person at Transformation House, where we are operating subject in accordance with full government guidelines, or online.
Stay safe, look out for one-another and stay connected via your Connect Groups. Most important of all, root your identity in Christ!
May God Bless each and every one of you in Jesus mighty name.
Robert Clark
Shame Remover
If you’ve spent any time at all watching TV advertisements or listening to the radio, you will doubtless have heard one of a proliferation of adverts for the latest cleaning products that “loves the jobs you hate”, “shines umpteen things clean” or “puts the freshness back”. Whilst the Marketing agencies that produced these slogans we remember so well clearly did their jobs, the products rarely lived up to their hype.
Little mistakes happen to us all. We’ve all spilt a drink on the couch, dropped food on the carpet and let a saucepan boil over. But it often seems that no matter how many cleaning products we use, how hard we scrub, how much elbow grease we use, there is always a slight residue left behind and our couch or carpet never quite looks the same again. Certainly they never have that brand new shine!
We all make mistakes in our lives too. We’ve all messed up in one way or another. How many times have we all strayed from what we know to be right? Perhaps you’ve told a lie, made selfish decisions, lived a gluttonous life, stolen from someone, committed adultery, carried out a crime or even blasphemed against God. When we make a mistake, no matter how hard we try to brush it under the carpet, we cannot by ourselves remove the shame we feel. Like the tea stain on the new couch, sin leaves a stain of shame on our lives.
A feeling of shame can dominate our thoughts and our lives. We can feel embarrassed, guilty and, if we are keeping these feelings to ourselves they can overwhelm us. Shame is like a spotlight on our lives pointing directly at our mistakes and the feelings it produces can hold us back and stop us reaching our full potential.
The bible is littered with people who have made mistakes. In our sermon last Sunday, we looked at the mistakes of Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:25): And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
As I write this piece, I look out the window in front of me and am surrounded by Autumn colours, the bright and golden colours on the trees are breathtaking. How much more must Adam and Eve have enjoyed the garden of Eden? They lived a perfect, idyllic and sin free life in the Garden. So much so, they didn’t even need clothes. Their lives were so perfect, they didn’t even notice they were naked. Yet still they made a mistake. Eve disobeyed God and ate fruit from the one tree God asked them not to and shared the fruit with Adam.
Instantly, they knew they had messed up, and, in their shame, their nakedness was revealed to them for the first time. Rather than immediately confess their mistake to God, they turned to the world for an answer and tried to hide their shame under fig leaves.
When God comes looking for them, Adam, to whom Eve had turned, tries to shift the blame for his mistake on to Eve who in turn blames the serpent. Their shame is leading them to make more and more bad decisions. In their confusion, neither Adam or Eve knew how to handle their shameful feelings.
When we make mistakes, we often panic too. In our haste, we too attempt to hide our sin, by covering it up and turning to our friends and loved ones for help. As Eve found out to her cost, Adam didn’t exactly help her out of her situation!
I often think, the bible would’ve been a rather short book if rather than try to hide from God, they had turned to him instantly and confessed their mistakes. They would, I am sure, have gone on to enjoy life in the garden.
God placed the feelings of shame in our lives for a reason. Feelings of shame will not go away by themselves. The feelings of shame are designed to return us to God.
Let us not try to hide our own mistakes from God. Let us not turn to the world in an attempt to cover up or hide our mistakes. Instead, let us humble ourselves and turn to God.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
When we confess, God forgives us of our sins and restores our lives. God gives us a fresh opportunity to rebuild, to start a new life in Him, a life guided by Him.
Like the cleaning products listed at the start, that never truly remove the stains from our homes (even when we follow the instructions on the back to the letter!), there is nothing in this world that can completely remove our feelings of shame for our past sins.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.2 Cor 5:17
Only our Father in Heaven is able to truly remove the feelings of shame and build us into a new creation. God offers us the opportunity of a fresh start and His word provides the instructions how. Join us for the rest of our Shame Remover series to find how you can apply His word to your lives, restore your life, shine and excel. God is the one true Shame Remover. Guaranteed!
How to watch the rest of our Shame Remover Series
Join us every Sunday at 3PM as we continue this Series. You can either join us online or in person at Transformation House where we are operating subject in accordance with full government guidelines.
Stay safe, look out for one-another and stay connected via your Connect Groups. Most important of all, grow your connection with God.
May God Bless each and every one of you in Jesus mighty name.
Robert Clark
You Can Change Your Mind
The UK is now entering the sixteenth week since the lockdown began. Many of the restrictions that have been in place during that time are gradually now being lifted as we start to take our tentative first steps into our “new normal”. Whilst the long-term economic and health impacts of this pandemic are only starting to emerge, one consistent theme appearing in news outlets around the world is the effect on our mental health. Whilst we may have little control over the economic impacts of COVID-19, we can all have influence over our own mental health and of those around us. In our new series, Sound Mind, launched this Sunday, we look at the ways in which we can guard our mental health and transform the way in which we think.
The Effects of Isolation
Without a doubt one of the hardest aspects of lockdown, particularly for those of us who’ve been blessed with continued good health, has been the effects of isolation. Being separated from our loved ones, families, friends, workplaces and our church, and being confined to our own homes, either alone or with our immediate family, has been a unique challenge for our generation. Human beings are designed for social interaction and whilst video calls on Zoom and other tools have helped, there is nothing quite like being with someone you care for face to face, even for those of us who are natural introverts.
Instead, lockdown has given us more time alone than we have ever had before and it is in these moments that we are alone with our own thoughts. In these uncertain and isolating times, our mental strength has certainly been tested and our mental character revealed.
God’s Plan for Mental Health
Every man, woman and child has been blessed by God with the ability to think for ourselves. The way in which we each think helps us to define how we see and approach the world. Oftentimes, we place limits on our minds or our minds believe the limits others in this world place upon us.
The bible teaches us in II Timothy 1:7: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind”. God has a plan for all aspects of our lives, including our mental health.
He can heal our minds and lead us to a new way of thinking by changing our mind-set. We will be looking at ways in which the bible shows us how we can transform our thought processes over the coming four weeks as we analyse our own thinking, removing these limits and allowing us to truly flourish as God intended us to.
Our First Sermon
Our culture today often gives us a negative perception of ourselves, of our relationships, of how we manage our finances and of our own abilities. The world often tells us “You can’t do that” and many times we believe it. We chase “Likes” on Social media and we feel worthless when our posts are not viewed in the way we hoped they might be. We live in a reactive, now culture where everything is instant so we often act on our first thought. We don’t take time out to sit and be still with God, instead we fill our waking moments looking at our phones, watching TV, playing video games or browsing the internet.
In our main scripture, Romans 12:1-2, the apostle Paul tells us not to “conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”.
When we reflect on the worldly view of ourselves, we often end up with a mind full of doubt, fear, insecurity and hopelessness. We even worry about things that haven’t happened yet and probably won’t.
God wants us to have a different mind-set! We should reflect on our thinking and not allow negative thoughts to control how we live our lives. Instead, spending time with God, aligning our thoughts with His word, and with His will for our lives, brings us a fresh perspective and brings new, innovative and creative solutions. If we invite Jesus into our minds, allow Him to work on our thoughts, He will have a restorative, renewing and transformative effect on the way we think and lead us to a place of inner peace.
Make time for God!
A transformation by definition takes time. A caterpillar doesn’t just turn into a butterfly, a seed takes time to germinate and grow into a plant and it takes time to change the way in which we think.
Life today is challenging. We are often running around, keeping ourselves busy, but spending quiet time by ourselves in solitude is essential if we are to truly alter and empower our thinking. We kid ourselves we are busy, but we can always find time –30 minutes daily TV or internet surfing equates to 11.5 waking days a year of wasted time. Jesus, despite his hectic schedule, spends time alone in reflection and prayer many times in the Gospels. If Jesus can find time to be alone with God, then we can too.
Over these next four weeks, make time in your day to invite God into your heart and mind, share your thoughts with Him and allow Him to truly transform the way in which you think.
How to watch the rest of our Sound Mind Series
Join us every Sunday at 3PM as we continue this Series. You can either join us online or in person at Transformation House, subject to ongoing review of Government Guidelines. You can find full details on how to register and attend in person on our website and we will be updating this page regularly.
Stay safe, look out for one-another and stay connected via your Connect Groups. Most important of all, grow your connection with God.
May God Bless each and every one of you in Jesus mighty name.
Robert Clark
Confidence In A Crisis
Even if you have never been to a church, there is a good chance you have already heard the words of Psalm 23. Not only is it one of the most well-known Psalms in the bible, it has many references in popular culture. Verses from the Psalm are referenced in movies from Gangster’s Paradise to Titanic and in lyrics from Pink Floyd, U2 and Kanye West, the famous hymn “The Lord is my Shepherd” is often sung at funerals, they were used by President Bush after the 9/11 attacks and even as the theme tune to the hugely successful 1990’s BBC TV Series the Vicar of Dibley.
At Potter’s House Wandsworth, we have been breaking down the Psalm over the last few sermons in or latest series PS:23. The series aims to give us clarity on how we can look to God for confidence in times of crisis, such as the global pandemic we are in now and in times of personal crisis also. Looking at the Psalm verse by verse shows us just why these words continue to be so widely quoted and helps use to understand that when we trust God, He is able to heal our soul, protect and provide for us, no matter how challenging life can become.
As we prepare to conclude the series, here is a quick recap of the Sermon’s we’ve heard so far:
My Shepherd (5th April)
23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
The first sermon broke down what it really means to have Christ as our Shepherd and how, if we truly put our trust in Him, we shall want for nothing in our lives.
During both personal crisis and times of world crisis we often live with much uncertainty, but, if we turn towards the Lord, and give our anxieties to Him, our fears begin to subside and we grow in confidence. God gives us great hope and promise of a blessed future. Much like a sat-nav in our car gives us directions for our journey, Jesus gives us direction for, and can help us navigate our way through, challenging seasons in our own lives.
Green Pastures
23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures
How often do you use the words “If only...”? Many times in our lives we often think the grass is greener on the other side. Modern culture teaches us that career, popularity, fame, wealth and material gains are the secret to happiness leading us to always desire more. Chasing the dream often leads to exhaustion and a feeling of missing out.
Jesus gives us the wisdom to realise and appreciate what we already have. When we come to Jesus, we learn to be content with what we already have. Jesus frees us from our fears, from conflict and cures our broken appetite by removing the desire to sin. You get so much more when you make the Lord your shepherd and rest in the Green pastures of God’s presence.
Still Waters
23:2 He leadeth me beside the still waters.
The human body is made up of 70% water. When we get thirsty, be become dehydrated which leads to a lack of energy, dizziness and confusion. We become weak and weary. God designed man to need water.
God also designed man to have a relationship with God. When we do not have a relationship with Him, our souls become dehydrated and we lack spiritual energy. The verse is summarising that if we have that relationship with God, He leads us to a place that will fulfil our deepest need and He will lead us to a place that will quench our spiritual thirst, a place where we can be still and content.
When we know God as our Lord and Father, we become free to love others, to be kind, to turn the other cheek and to ultimately be who we are meant to be in Christ!
Restores My Soul
23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
As men and women, we all make bad decisions. We see this right from the start of the bible when Adam sells out for the only one thing in the Garden of Eden God said he couldn’t have. Why do we risk everything for one moment of madness or pleasure?
No matter where we are in life, no matter what mistakes we have made, God can turn it around for us. We may feel guilty or undeserving, but God wants to restore us on to the right paths in life. Only He can bring true revival in our lives, but revival has to start with us. We have to seek Him first. Take a chance on God and give Him the praise for revival in your life – after all, He is staking his very name on your comeback story!
My Shepherd
23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me
Life is full of ups and downs. When all is going well in life, we often say we are on “top of the world”. Other times, life can be hard and we feel like we are stuck in a valley. At the present time, many countries are going through a difficult time, and being stuck at home can feel like we are in a personal valley as we become isolated from family, friends and from the church.
When we make the Lord our Shepherd, we trust Him to carry us through our valley moments in life and restore us to the mountain top. It is easy to trust God when life is going well, but the true test of our faith comes in the darkest moments. This is when we need to lean fully on God. He supports and protects us with his rod and his staff strengthens and comforts us.
Join us!
Join us every Sunday at 3PM and Wednesday at 7PM for our Online Sermon’s. We’ll be continuing our PS23 Series over the next few weeks.
Times may be challenging at present, but when we accept who we are in Christ, be still in his presence and allow Him to satisfy and provide for our every need, our next mountain top moment is just around the corner. Only when we make the Lord our Shepherd and place our trust in Him shall we truly want for nothing in our lives. We pray this series helps you to increase your faith in God and transforms your confidence in God.
Stay safe, stay connected with one another and via your Connect Groups and by His grace, we see you all soon.
May God Bless each and every one of you in Jesus mighty name.
Robert Clark
Lost in Transition
Our world has been thrown into a sudden, and unexpected, time of turmoil. Like many churches, Potter’s House Wandsworth has made a rapid transition to providing all of our services online. Individually, our own lives are also going through an uncertain time – many of us are separated from our friends and family, our working patterns have changed and our daily activities are far more restricted than before. During this season of change, we need to keep our focus on God, the one true constant in our lives.
Changing Times
All of us have been through periods of change. We may have moved into adulthood, moved home, started a new job, got married or perhaps lost a close family member. During these significant stages in our lives, we often lose focus on what is important to us as we prioritise our time and energy on our changing, and often challenging circumstances. We can get distracted easily, we may lose things that were important to us as our thoughts become centred on dealing with the effects of change.
Jesus Relationship with God
In our main text, Luke 2:41-52, we follow Mary and Joseph as they travel to Jerusalem to attend the Feast of Passover. After the feast, a 12 year old Jesus decides to stay behind and his parents only realise he is not with them much later on the journey home. Mary and Joseph were so focused on their long and arduous journey, they lost their own son during this transition! When they find him three days later in the temple, Jesus’s reaction is one of surprise.
Jesus had not lost sight of what was most important to him – his relationship with God the Father. Despite facing some very significant transitions in his life, including coming to earth as man and dying on the cross in exchange for our sins, Jesus never loses sight of what God sent him here to do, to carry out the will of God [John 6:38].
In this time of change, like Jesus, we must also maintain a focus on our own relationship with God.
Change Presents an Opportunity
For our church, streaming services means we are able to deliver the Word of God to people around the world more easily. We’re already receiving great testimonies of people coming to know God through our shared sermons. We thank God for these and all He is doing in helping us to share His good news.
Individually, we may have more time on our hands than we had a few weeks ago. Let us spend this time praising God, remembering all the good things He has done in our lives, continuing to read our bibles so we can know Him more, and being in God’s presence in prayer. Furthermore, we should be reaching-out to those in our households, sharing God’s love and words with people around us - virtually of course!
Our Relationship with God
All of our lives at this time may be very different than they were just a couple of weeks ago. We may not be able to come to our church building, sing praise and worship songs together, or hold prayer meetings. These routines are important to us but without a relationship with God are simply dead religion. Jesus life shows us that what strengthens Him the most in times of transition is His focus on a relationship with God the Father. What God truly desires is for us all to have a relationship with Him. We can all do that all day, every day, wherever we are.
In our main text today, Mary and Joseph sought Jesus anxiously until they found Him at the temple. The bible teaches us in 1 Corinthians 3:16 that we are the temple! If we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, God is alive within us and we are filled with His spirit. We have no reason to be anxious.
During this season, God our Father remains our one true constant. His love for us has never, and will never, change. God will not lose us at times of transition in our lives and we must not
lose Him.
Spend time with God
Trust in God, use this time fruitfully to deepen your own relationship with Him and linger in His presence so you may be strengthened by His love. In this time transition, God is doing great things in the lives of those around us and, when this period draws to a close, as it shall, we can each have a stronger relationship with God and a deeper understanding of who He is if we use this time well and keep our focus on Him.
Stay safe, stay connected with one another and via your Connect Groups and by His grace, we see you all soon.
May God Bless each and every one of you in Jesus mighty name.
By Robert Clark
OVERCOMER - JASMIN ROSE
Featuring Jasmin Rose, The first in our overcomer series where we hear from people who have overcome their battles by leaning on God and His wisdom. In this episode, Jasmine speaks about her journey of mourning the loss of close relations.
”We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed“
New Year’s Eve 2019
🎉Happy New Year 🎉 from all at Potter’s House Wandsworth Church & we all look forward to what God has in store for 2020
Check out some highlights from our countdown into the new year.
Christmas Jumper Service 2019
We had a great time in our Christmas jumper service, check out some of the highlights below
🎄Merry Christmas🎄 to you all in advance from Potter’s House Wandsworth Church
Christmas Season 2019
Join us in our Christmas season and find out what events are taking place.
The Reason
We’ve all heard the cliché: Jesus is the reason for the season, but what is the reason for Jesus and is He really the reason for the season? Ask yourself, why did He come down in the form of a baby, live a sinless life and later die a death He did not deserve?
Matthew 1:21 gives the answer:
“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
This is the reason for Jesus. God sent His son to rescue and restore us and to bridge the gap that had previously been created by sin. Jesus came to restore what was lost in the garden when Adam and Eve first disobeyed God. Therefore, we are actually the reason for the season, our souls are the reason for the season, our potential eternal destination is the reason for the season. We celebrate Christmas to commemorate the birth of the King but Jesus didn’t come to be celebrated, He came to save us.
In the Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah writes that:
“For unto us a Child is born... and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah’s use of such personal language shows us that everything that Jesus did from His birth to the Cross, to the grave and to His resurrection, was for every single one of us.
There is an advertisement that comes on every Christmas with the slogan, “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas.” This is to urge people to not abandon the new pets that they would’ve received for Christmas after the novelty has worn off. In a way, this is the same for Jesus. Of course, this is not comparing our Saviour to a dog, but just the attitude that society has towards Christmas. Jesus didn’t simply come for us to have a day off from work, He came to rescue us and to establish a relationship with us for eternity. Jesus is for life, not just for Christmas.
Many people give gifts at Christmas, which is great, it is always good to give but God actually gave the greatest gift of all and this is stated in John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.”
So while we celebrate Christmas and enjoy the time with our friends and our families, let us remember the reason and let us share this gift with those in our lives who haven’t had the experience of meeting with Jesus. Remind them that they are the reason for the season, that they are the reason Jesus came down as a baby, lived His life and later went to the cross. For without the baby, there would be no Cross and if there was no Cross, there would be no salvation and we would be lost.
Special Services With Ps F.Rubi
We had a powerful time with Pastor Fred Rubi today, if you haven’t made it out there’s still one day left tomorrow at Transformation House, SW11 1AD from 7pm
Join Us!
Give More, You Get More
When you give more, you get more? This paradox is a principle that has been taught in the church, yet a common misconception is that giving more will somehow diminish what you already have. However, it does the very opposite. There is beauty in giving and sacrificing and the greatest example that we have of this can be taken from Jesus. He paid the ultimate price and wiped away our sinful debt. What did He gain? Fellowship and a relationship with us, which He and the Father deemed was more important than His precious life.
Luke 6:38 says:
“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Jesus promises us that when you give, it will be given back to you. We see this promise being fulfilled in scripture even before Jesus spoke these words. In 1 Kings 17:7-16, Elijah approaches the widow of Zarephath during a drought and asks her to provide food for him. She was poor and only had a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug left to sustain her, until she and son would eventually die of hunger. However, she trusted in God and provided for the prophet. After this sacrifice, neither the jar of flour was nor the jug of oil became empty. This widow gave all that she had but she gained more than she had ever imagined.
When God gives back to His people, He doesn’t hold back, in the text it says that He gives back with “good measure” and it’ll be “running over.” However, it is essential for us to realise that we cannot give a little and expect a lot from God. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7) and as He is God, He knows our hearts. In the Bible, we are also told that if we sow sparingly, we will reap sparingly, but if we sow abundantly, we will reap abundantly (2 Corinthians 9:6).
The principle of giving more to get more doesn’t only apply to financial giving. Jesus says that “whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it” (Matthew 16:25). When Jesus said this, He was saying to the disciples (and us) that He wanted us to be willing to give up our earthly existence for Him and in return we would gain eternal life and salvation. This is in comparison to us cherishing our earthly lives which, without sounding morbid, do not measure up to eternity. Almost every Christian has asked themselves if it’s really worth it to follow Christ and give up our comfortable, sinful lifestyles? The answer is: it is. Whatever you give up and lose on earth, you will be rewarded for it in heaven and that’s where it really counts because heaven is eternal.
It’s not easy to give, it takes a lot of faith and selflessness, however, God is faithful and He is the maker of the universe, which means that He has an unlimited amount of resources. God doesn’t actually need our money or our time, because He is God and He would be able to source it elsewhere. He asks us to give because He wants to teach us about sacrifice and to be willing to sacrifice those things that we hold so dearly onto, the beauty of this is that He will always give it back to us and will always sustain us.
What You Don’t Want To Do
It is a fundamental principle that sometimes in life in order to get what we want; we might have to do something that we do not want to do. This is a principle that applies to so many different day-to-day scenarios. For example, to get in shape, you are going to have to work out when you do not want to, to buy a house, you are going to have to save money when you would rather be spending it.
A beautiful example of someone doing what they did not want to do, to get what they wanted can be taken from Luke 20:40-43:
“When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation” And when was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup from me; nevertheless, not my will but yours be done.” And then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.”
Frankly, Jesus did not want to go to the cross, in the text we can see that His heart was heavy as He contemplated what was to come. We often forget that Jesus, in His ultimate majesty as God, was also fully man, which meant that He felt human emotions. Yet, despite His concern, He says to the Father, “not My will but Yours be done.” Jesus could have easily prevented Himself from going to the Cross, but because His desire for us was so potent, He did what He didn’t want to do to get what He wanted, which is a relationship with us.
Our hedonistic society tells us that a mark of success is being able to do what you want, when you want to do it and how you want to do it. However, the problem with this mentality is that people will do what they want, and get what they thought they wanted but later realise that this is not actually the case. Take the example of Judas. He betrayed Jesus knowing that he was going to receive money for it. When he received the money, he realised those pieces of silver were not worth the crime he had just committed. Consequently, he took his own life. Judas is a clear example of someone doing what they wanted, thinking that it would fulfil them but only to be left empty and hopeless.
Many times the problem with doing exactly what you want to do without a second thought is that you fail to see the bigger picture. Often we sacrifice tomorrow’s accomplishments for today’s satisfaction. Judas could not see the bigger picture. He sacrificed an eternal relationship with Jesus for pieces of silver. We ought to be cautious that we do not follow this path as well. Do not sacrifice your relationship with God for something fickle and temporary.
It’s hard but doing what we don’t want to do will indeed help us to get what we want. We read of people in the Bible who did amazing things and felt the power and presence of God. We desire these very experiences, yet we do not want to do what they did. We want God to move like He did for Esther, but we don’t want to fast like she did. We want God to bless all our future descendants and us, but we do not have faith like Abraham had.
When Jesus was faced with His fate, He sought God. He prayed and He remembered that it was not His will but God’s that had to be fulfilled. When we are faced with the the option of taking the easy way out, we need to remember Jesus and the example that He set when He went to the cross for us, despite knowing the torture that He would endure. Hopefully, we will never have to endure anything like that but in our day to day lives let us be like Jesus and do what we don’t want to do, to do what we want to do, whether it’s exercising, saving money, praying or waiting on God.