Christ Church Selly Park

Given to worship together

Geoff Lanham | Psalm 19:1-6 | Hebrews 13:15-16 | Ephesians 5:15-20 

We all know that worship is in some way important, but in the end what difference does it make that over 100 of us gather within our building each week to praise God? More than we might realise, says Geoff, because we are part of a much bigger picture which involves the whole of creation and the nature of God himself. There's plenty of encouragement here for each of us, however feeble our efforts might seem, to join in worship.

Discussion questions can be downloaded here.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.

Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sanctuary Sunday

Jeremy Thompson | Luke 4:14-30 

When Jesus stood up in his own home town, read the words of the prophet Isaiah and applied them to himself, he proclaimed the values of the Kingdom of God: values that motivate us to welcome refugees and offer them safety and friendship. Jeremy is Acting Director of Restore, which works alongside Birmingham churches to befriend refugees. Speaking at the end of Refugee Week, Jeremy reminds us how hard it is to feel like a stranger and encourages us to continue our support of those who have come here in fear of persecution: it is Kingdom business.

[Jesus] went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read...

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour."

Agent of blessing

Geoff Lanham | 1 Peter 3:8-12 | Romans 12:14-21 

God bless you! We might say this casually - even when someone sneezes - or possibly with greater meaning. Rarely will we seek God's blessing for someone who has hurt us, yet that is what Jesus did even for those who crucified him. As Geoff explains, fighting fire with fire only spreads the flames, but responding to evil with goodness is the Jesus way.

Discussion questions can be downloaded here.

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord.

Empowered to tell

Graham Romp | 2 Corinthians 5:11-21  

As ambassadors we've got a job to do, says Graham: and speaking on Pentecost Sunday he reminds us that the Holy Spirit goes ahead of us as we tell others the good news about Jesus. Here is a privilege, a challenge and a top-priority, God-given task.

[God] has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: be reconciled to God.

Eco Church

Chris Chalmers | Genesis 1:26-31 | Micah 6:8  

Chris put a lot of creative effort into making her cake, but it got a bit messed up once other people got involved... So how are we treating our beautiful created world? In this All In service, Chris' talk led us into some activities to encourage us to take action in our daily lives.

Chris' chocolate cake, before decoration

The cake after decoration...

...and after the rest of the household had had a go at it

Then God said, 'Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.'

He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Good seasoning

Allan Bartlam | Matthew 5:13-16  

We all know that being a Christian isn't just about spending time in church, and that we need to make a difference in the world, but how to put this into practice? Allan gives us a challenge to turn Jesus' words into action.

Discussion questions can be downloaded here.

[Jesus said,] ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world... let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.’

We're all priests

Geoff Lanham | Exodus 19:3-6 | 1 Peter 2:9-10 | Revelation 5:7-10  

What image does the word "priest" bring to mind? As Geoff points out, it's an office that has largely fallen into disrepute, yet it really mattered to the writers of the Bible. We start a new series God's way of blessing the world by looking at the role of every Christian in connecting the world with God.

Discussion questions can be downloaded here.

Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, ‘This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: “... Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant ... you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”’

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

They sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.’

 

Focus on Bolivia

Andrew Peart | John 1:1-14  

"Some are called to mission overseas, and some are called to mission over the road." For Andrew and Lisa that call was to serve with the Anglican Church in Bolivia, with which Christ Church has built a growing link over the last few years. Jesus came to share the life of God with us, and wherever we are our role is to do the same. Andrew explains how that life has been experienced in his own family, through both loss and extraordinary healing.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory,
the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Loved by the lakeside

Rachel Fasham | John 21:1-19  

The despair of the Crucifixion gave way to the joy of the Resurrection, but for Peter there was still unfinished business to deal with. Three times he had denied Jesus... what now? In this All Age service Rachel explains how Jesus restored Peter and gave him a new purpose. There's something special here for Land Rover lovers too as she describes her role in a different kind of restoration project.

Meet "Peter": lovingly recycled from another character we made at Messy Church a couple of months ago

A Land Rover stripped down to its absolute essentials, ready to be restored into the shiny model below

Burning hearts

Allan Bartlam | Luke 24:13-35 

On the first Easter day, two disciples are making a journey in a state of confusion and doubt. What should they make of these reports of an empty tomb? A mysterious stranger joins them on the road, and proceeds to give them what must surely have been the greatest Bible study of all time. Only later, when they reach their destination and Jesus breaks bread with them, does the truth dawn: "We have seen the Lord!" As Allan explains, on our journey with Jesus we may experience times of doubt, disappointment, revelation and joy. If we make space to listen to him, we may know - as those two disciples did - our hearts burning within us as we respond to his voice.

Discussion questions can be downloaded here.

[Jesus] said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.