Christ Church Selly Park

Fruitfulness in the Bible

Ben Green | Mark 4:26-29 

[Jesus] also said, ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces corn – first the stalk, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. As soon as the corn is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.’

The recording begins with Susan Haynes introducing the Explore service and explaining more about our current series, "Faithfulness on the frontline." The congregation were then asked, in groups around tables, to read one of a set of Bible passages and answer a question on it. After hearing the feedback from each of the groups Ben gave a short talk describing how we become more fruitful. How much of a part does God play and what is our responsibility?

The readings studied the congregation, and the corresponding questions, were:

Genesis 1:24-31

Where does fruitfulness originate/begin?

Colossians 1:1-14

What four things does Paul specify will come from being filled with the Spirit?

Luke 3:7-14

What should repentance lead to?

Isaiah 5:1-7

Why was the vineyard to be destroyed?

Isaiah 27:1-6

What is the promise of this passage?

John 15:1-17

What do we need to do in order to bear much fruit?

Galatians 5:13-26

What three action words associated with the Spirit does Paul say will result in fruit?

1 Corinthians 3:1-9

What are some of the elements needed to produce a fruitful harvest?

Revelation 22:1-5

Here we see the tree of life, bearing fruit, in a picture of what’s to come. What is being promised at the end of time?

An edited video recording of the Sunday service can be viewed on YouTube.

The big picture

Bobbie Frere | Colossians 1:1-2,15-20 

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him... For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Where and how can we make a difference for the kingdom of God? Bringing people into a direct relationship with God is of truly life-changing importance, but it is not the whole story. Introducing our new series, "Fruitfulness on the frontline", Bobbie explains that Jesus is Lord not just of the spiritual realm but of the physical world too. Over the coming weeks we will explore how we can work this out in our everyday lives.

The recording begins with the reading from Kate Routley.

An edited video recording of the Sunday service can be viewed on YouTube.

How do we keep going to the end?

Ben Green | Job 42.7-17

The Lord said, 'My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly.' ... and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

To close the series Ben summarises what Job teaches us about the life of a believer: marked by warfare, requiring patience, humility and forgiveness - with blessing at the end.

The recording begins with the reading from Dan Parnell.

Who alone can rescue?

Ben Green | Job 38.1 - 42.6

'Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
    Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!'

In the penultimate talk of the series, Ben looks at God's two speeches in reply to Job.  First God reminds Job that he is God - creator, sustainer of all.  Then he explores the nature of evil through the pictures of Behemoth and Leviathan - powerful and dangerous but God is still ultimately in charge.

The recording begins with the reading from Dilys Garrod.

Interlude: What has the Lord done?

Graham Romp | Job 9.32-35 | James 5.7-11

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming... As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

In this interlude in our series 'Job: Out of the Storm' Graham explores how Job points to Jesus in what he says (expressing hope), in how he lived (he didn't give up on God) and in what he suffered (innocent, rejected, betrayed, deserted, outside the city walls).  One of the key lessons is this: righteousness is not incompatible with suffering.  In fact Job suffers because he was righteous, exactly like Jesus: the cross shows us righteousness and suffering are deeply and intimately linked.  Job thought he wanted justice, but what he actually got, was grace.

The recording begins with the reading from James Williams.

How dare you talk to God like that?

Ben Green | Job 32:1-5 | Job 33:8-18 

Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him... When he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.

‘But I tell you, in this you are not right,
  for God is greater than any mortal.
Why do you complain to him
  that he responds to no one’s words?
For God does speak - now one way, now another -
  though no one perceives it.’

Into the debate, which has gone round in circles for so long, steps an angry young man, Elihu. What good can he possibly do? Yet, as Ben explains, he sees beyond everyone else - the older friends with their simplistic worldview, and Job who has come to believe that God is against him. Ben urges us to listen to God and trust him, in good times and bad.

The recording begins with the reading from John Davies. The sermon is based on the whole of chapters 32 to 37.

The good, the bad and the hopeful

Allan Bartlam | Job 29:1-17 | Job 30:9-10, 30:16-23, 31:35-37 

‘How I long for the months gone by,
  for the days when God watched over me,
when his lamp shone on my head
  and by his light I walked through darkness!
Oh, for the days when I was in my prime,
  when God's intimate friendship blessed my house,
when the Almighty was still with me
  and my children were around me.’
...
‘I cry out to you, God,
  but you do not answer;
I stand up,
  but you merely look at me.
You turn on me ruthlessly;
  with the might of your hand you attack me.’
...
‘Oh, that I had someone to hear me!’

Job contrasts the blessedness of his former life - maybe it was not quite as perfect as he remembers it? - with the agony of his present state. As Allan explains, most of us experience a mixture of the two, but we can learn from Job's honesty.

The recording includes the readings from Sarah Trinder and ends with a short reflection from Cathie Bartlam.

Why will God not answer my question?

Ben Green | Proverbs 8:1-11, 22-29 | Job 28 

Does not wisdom call out?
  Does not understanding raise her voice?
...
‘Choose my instruction instead of silver,
  knowledge rather than choice gold,
for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
  and nothing you desire can compare with her.’

Where then does wisdom come from?
  Where does understanding dwell?
...
God understands the way to it
  and he alone knows where it dwells,
for he views the ends of the earth
  and sees everything under the heavens.

After all the rounds of inconclusive debate between Job and his friends, an interlude comes in the form of a poem about the most precious thing anyone could have - wisdom. But what is it, and where is it to be found? As Ben explains, all our searches lead us to Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life.

The recording begins with the readings from Susan Mole.

Is God for me or against me?

Ben Green | Job 19 

‘Have pity on me, my friends, have pity,
  for the hand of God has struck me.
Why do you pursue me as God does?
  Will you never get enough of my flesh?’
...
‘I know that my redeemer lives,
  and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed,
  yet in my flesh I will see God;
I myself will see him
  with my own eyes – I, and not another.
  How my heart yearns within me!’

Accused by his friends, abandoned by his family, and - as it seems to him - struck by God, all that Job values has been stripped away. All the more astonishing, says Ben, that Job still longs to see God and has faith that one day this will happen. All the more reason for us to believe, who can see something that Job did not: the cross.

The recording begins with the reading from Peter Frere. Earlier in the service, the whole congregation read Psalm 16 as an act of worship.

Among the nations

Allan Bartlam | Revelation 7:9-12 

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

‘Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.’

How is it that the people of God can come from every nation? Only, says Allan, because someone told them about Jesus. The recording begins with the reading from Bobbie Frere, and continues with drama featuring some Bible characters. We also hear from Alison, Phil, John and Elsie who will be spending some time with churches in Bolivia in the coming weeks. Rachel Fasham then lists some practical steps we can take in response to Jesus' call to make disciples of all nations.

We had some problems with our recording equipment this week and the first 20 seconds or so in particular are below the audio standard we aim to achieve.