Christ Church Selly Park

Loving truly

Ben Green | 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

As Graham Romp had already explained in his introduction to the service, this passage - although often read at weddings - is not speaking about romantic love. Rather, says Ben, it goes to the heart of what the Corinthians had failed to recognise - that love is what matters above everything else, no matter how worthwhile those other things might be. And what is love? Ben has the answer.

A fuller video recording of the Sunday service can be viewed on YouTube.

An interlude: In Corinth

Bobbie Frere | Acts 18:1-18a 

Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

This week we take a break from our series in 1 Corinthians to look at how the church there was founded. Paul was the leading figure but was helped and encouraged by others, including God himself. Bobbie explains how we too can share together in our individual and common work for God.

Before Bobbie speaks we hear from Aquila and Priscilla, carrying their tents as they approach an unknown future in Corinth. A fuller video recording of the Sunday service can be viewed on YouTube.

Living faithfully

Ben Green | 1 Corinthians 4.1-17 

This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.

Paul goes on to contrast his own attitude of service and reliance on God's grace with the pride displayed by the church at Corinth. The modern church is in danger too, says Ben, urging us to live faithfully according to the gospel.

A fuller video recording of the Sunday service can be viewed on YouTube.

Building carefully

Ben Green | 1 Corinthians 3.1-23 

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.

The church has only one true foundation, says Paul, but there is more than one way of building on it - and only some will survive. In his talk Ben explains some of the metaphors Paul uses to describe the church, and considers how we might build that church that will last and become what God intends it to be.

The recording begins with the reading from Kate Routley.

A fuller video recording of the Sunday service can be viewed on YouTube.

All-In Service: Harvest 2021

Rachel Fasham | Joel 2:21-27 

Do not be afraid, land of Judah;
be glad and rejoice.
Surely the Lord has done great things!
Do not be afraid, you wild animals,
for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green.
The trees are bearing their fruit;
the fig-tree and the vine yield their riches.
Be glad, people of Zion,
rejoice in the Lord your God.

Do not be afraid... yet now, just as when the prophet Joel spoke those words, the created world is in a mess. Speaking in this All-In service, Rachel encourages us to remember God's promises and to play our part in fulfilling his purposes.

A fuller video recording of the Sunday service can be viewed on YouTube.

Seeing spiritually

Ben Green | 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.

So far in this series we have thought about the benefits God has freely given us, and that are open to anyone who wants to receive them. But how can we understand what the gospel is, and grow in our new identity day by day? Ben speaks about true spirituality that enables us to see the truth about God and ourselves.

The recording begins with the reading from Dilys Garrod and ends with a short prayer of response from Susan Haynes.

A fuller video recording of the Sunday service can be viewed on YouTube.

Believing foolishly

Ben Green | 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5 

Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

If the heart of your gospel is an instrument of execution, you are never really going to fit into the culture of your day, least of all in an age that glorifies style and strength. Yet, says Ben, the cross in all its weakness is the key to eternal life - a life that is truly open to all.

Before Ben speaks, the recording begins with the reading from Susan Mole.

A full video recording of the Sunday service (with some edits) can be viewed on YouTube.

Waiting eagerly

Ben Green | 1 Corinthians 1:1-17 

I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way - with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge - God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

You wouldn't guess it from these words, but the church at Corinth was in trouble. It was divided, disorderly and had lost sight of the things that really matter. Yet, says Ben, they belonged to Jesus and enjoyed all the benefits if only they chose to take hold of them - just like us.

This is the first in a new series "Seeing the Son" which, over the next few weeks, will take us through the first 4 chapters of 1 Corinthians. The recording begins with Ben introducing the series, then after the reading from Alison Cooper he preaches the first sermon in the series.

A full video recording of the Sunday service (with slight edits) can be viewed on YouTube.

Bigger barns

Ben Green | Luke 12:13-21 

Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’ Jesus replied, ‘Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?’ Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.’

Jesus went on to tell a story of a rich man who decided to build bigger barns in which to save for himself his vast stores of grain - but he did not live to enjoy his wealth. Ben challenges us: where do true riches lie? What should our life priorities be?

The recording is an edited version of our All Age Sunday service. It is introduced by Rachel Fasham and includes prayers from Phil Ennis.  A longer video version of the service, including music, can be viewed on YouTube.

The shrewd manager

Graham Romp | Luke 16:1-12 

[Jesus said,] 'The manager said to himself, "What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg - I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses." So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, "How much do you owe my master?" "Three thousand litres of olive oil," he replied. The manager told him, "Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifteen hundred." ... The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly... I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.'

The manager is sacked for dishonesty, and then proceeds to swindle his employer even more in order to secure his own future. Surely, Jesus' hearers will be thinking, this man will be thrown into prison? But like so many of Jesus' stories, this one has a surprise twist. Graham explains the lessons we can apply to our own lives (and acting dishonestly is not one of them).

The recording comes from a voice recorder rather than (as we prefer) our microphones so there is some traffic noise, and also some additional sounds contributed by a very young but contented member of the congregation.

The recording is an edited version of our Sunday service. It is introduced by Susan Haynes with a reading by John Mason, and before that, Elsie Lanchbury interviews Adrian Jones about his experience of joining a Christ Church home group.