Sunday 17th November 2013 - Get Real - Paul Worth

Get Real – Kingdom Life Church Introduction: Quote: I had a college professor who said, ‘All around you, people will be tiptoeing through life, just to arrive at death safely. But dear children, do not tiptoe. Run, hop, skip, or dance, just don’t tiptoe.’ S Claiborne (The Irresistible Revolution p.225) Don’t settle for safe middle class Christianity God has been speaking to me about the Kingdom – expressed through community God is a community in Himself – He is three and one – perfect community Illustration – Church weekend away. I had to take John, a difficult character, I didn’t want to take John but no one else was prepared to take him and God challenged me, He said, ‘You take Him – he is your responsibility’ (and I had to bring him home!) True Christianity can only be experienced and expressed through community. If there is no community then there is no genuine Christianity. 1 John 1:1-7 fellowship with God results in fellowship with one another 1 A Community of Mercy Jesus talked more of mercy than grace – grace mentioned 4 times in the gospels, mercy over 20 Mercy is the channel for grace Jesus taught it and demonstrated it – example blind Bartimaeus – a man who was at the very bottom of society, Jesus calls him and heals him, and in the process he restores the man’s dignity he restores his name. Luke 6:38 Give and it will be given to you… This is not a verse about money, it’s a verse about mercy, we need to put it into context read from verse 27-38. Mercy is unconditional – He is kind to the unthankful and evil! V35 (I would rather He judged them!) Mercy sees a person not just a problem Mercy has no boundaries or limits 2 A Community of Good Works If we are not careful we become disconnected from the poor Quote: The church becomes a distribution centre, a place where the poor come to get stuff and the rich come to dump stuff. S Claiborne (The Irresistible Revolution p.159) Problem is neither are changed – we are disconnected James 2:13-22 Mention verse 13 – mercy triumphs over judgment – church has become a place of judgment it needs to become a place of mercy. James challenges us that faith and works are not mutually exclusive – they must go together Works actually perfect our faith v22 We must have genuine works – not self righteous acts or trying to curry favour with God With hearts changed by the mercy of God we must in turn show mercy through good works Conclusion: Are you part of a church community or simply an attendee? Start to build some meaningful relationships Find a genuine need and meet it Go practice faith outside these four walls