Grace Community Church NI 공개
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What does Jesus turn to when he wants disciples to understand what greatest love looks like?Friendship!When Jesus washes his disciples feet in John 13, he is insisting on friendship with us but also modelling the type of friends we should be.Episode webpage: https://grace-community.church/lesson/friendship-the-greatest-love…
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Sarah and Abraham were promised descendants as numerous as the stars of the sky and grains of sand by the shore.They were advanced in years and things did not look like they would work out.But… God remembered his promise.Hope exists in some of our most vulnerable moments, but it's also resilient and defiant. As we remember who we are: children of G…
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In Matthew 28:20 we read the words of Jesus, when he promises ​‘I am with you always’. This promise is not just one that speaks of the future, but of the present, everyday experience of daily life.When we acknowledge that the presence of the risen Jesus is with us in all that we do, this will have a positive impact on our own lives and the lives of…
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Living Loss can be defined as ‘a loss of one’s hopes or ideals related to what a person believes should have been, could have been or might have been’. We all experience some living losses in life, and there is comfort to be found in Jesus’ words in Matt 5 v 4 ‘Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted’. We read in Genesis that Joseph …
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In Matthew 5:4 we read, ​“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Mourning is an outward sign of inward grief, and it can be a very personal experience. We are encouraged in scripture, that there is supernatural comfort available to us through the Holy Spirit. We are also instructed to bring comfort to those around us, just as God…
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Shrek, in the film of the same name, built a wall around him because he was tired of a world that made up its mind about him before it got to know him.James challenges this idea. Two thousand years later, we still make judgments based on how people look or sound, before we get to know them.My dear friends, don’t let public opinion influence how you…
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In Luke 10 we read the story of the Good Samaritan. In this account, we can see that it was through compassion and mercy that the Samaritan helped a stranger who was in need of help. Despite being noticed by others, he had been overlooked and avoided.In this instance, the Samaritan was not looking for someone to help, but rather came across the sit…
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In Jesus’ and Paul’s community, there was a culture of judgment. When people failed to adhere to the ​‘rules,’ they were immediately admonished.In our communities, we often admonish those in the ​‘other’ group. It’s all about left or right, conservative or liberal, us or them.Jesus suggests a third way. Rather than exacting judgment, we lend an ear…
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In Jesus' time, being considered "blessed" meant wealth and success, seemingly tied to religious devotion. This perception persists today, with people projecting an illusion of having it all together. Jesus, however, redefines true blessing, challenging cultural norms and blessing the overlooked.Jesus introduces a radical notion of blessedness—bein…
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Being a follower of Jesus has never been easy, there is always a cost.We are called to take the words and commands of Jesus seriously. In the gospel of Matthew, we read the account of the Sermon on the Mount, which gives clear instruction about how we are to live and love in this world.As Christians, we are to submit to the authority of Jesus, who …
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Even when the world feels overwhelming and hope seems distant, we must remind ourselves of who God is. Our God is characterized by loving kindness. The Hebrew word for loving kindness, Hesed, holds deep meaning that cannot be directly translated.Hesed is one of God’s fundamental characteristics, often describing His heart for His people. It is beca…
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Under the tyrannical rule of King Herod, there was darkness and pain. In a place of barrenness and disappointment, the angel Gabriel assures Zechariah that his prayers have always been heard. Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, gives birth to a boy, and Zechariah prophesies over their newborn baby, John (the Baptist), who would prepare the way for the one…
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Advent is traditionally celebrated at the beginning of the year, rather than at the end as we currently do.Mary’s story is one of patient waiting. She is a young, unmarried woman of humble status.When Mary sings her song, you can hear the depth of her faith. Despite uncertainty, she clings to hope. Through her words of worship, she rejoices in God’…
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In the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11, was God’s act of coming down and scattering the people a curse or a blessing?God values unity in diversity and variety, not uniformity. Throughout the Bible, God opposes empires, which eventually fall apart or are scattered.In Genesis 12, a people group emerges that seems to be the start of an empir…
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The Bible portrays various families, showcasing the consequences of brokenness and disobedience. For instance, Adam and Eve’s sin affected future generations, as seen in the tragic relationship between Cain and Abel. God’s disapproval was directed at Cain’s offering, not Cain himself.In the story of Joseph, we encounter brokenness, pain, jealousy, …
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Women have played vital roles in Scripture and throughout the history of the Church. For many years, Junia's name was mis-translated. Whether this was on purpose or not, it's been embarrassing for many that a translations of the Bible have had to be corrected to reinstate her.Named as someone who was outstanding among the apostles, Junia's voice wa…
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One of the 10 Commandments instructs us to observe and partake in a Sabbath day. Observing this commandment looks different depending on culture, background and upbringing. We might all define a Sabbath differently, but one thing we can agree on is the benefit and blessing that can be found in a true day of rest and rejuvenation.A Sabbath might loo…
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John 4 describes the meeting of Jesus and a Samaritan woman. In this account, we learn that this woman carried a great deal of shame and pain from her life experiences. This is another example of a ​“Good News” story, for all those who have felt the weight of shame, rejection or hurt.Jesus offers her a drink from the ​‘living water’, which never ru…
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Our anger at situations in our world often leads us to wish for retribution.Does the gospel’s call to ​“love our enemies” require us to look at things differently?In Luke 4, Jesus quotes most of Isaiahs prophecy from chapter 61, announcing that the year of the Lords favour has been fulfilled in him which is good news for everyone, even Israels enem…
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The story of Jonah is perhaps one of the most well-known bible stories, beautifully portrayed in children’s books and animated cartoons. However, this portrayal might make it easy to miss the themes of justice, love and God’s continual mercy.We read of Jonah’s struggle with God’s love towards the people of Nineveh, causing him to literally run away…
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Sadly, when we hear someone preach, we seem to enjoy when the preacher is pointing out someone else’s sin. We like that feeling of superiority when we don’t believe we have a problem with sin.As we use our judgement, we can become guilty of projecting our conclusions of what’s right and wrong onto God.God’s wrath is an often-misrepresented thing. G…
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The two trees in Genesis 3 pose a number of interesting questions. When it comes to the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the exchange between the serpent and Eve challenges her relationship with God.In the previous chapter, there is a beautiful picture of God breathing life into humans. His power is shared with us and there is a ​“shalom” that a…
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I was made for the Gospel. Exploring the ​“now-ness” of the Kingdom.Often we use language in church that we don’t use elsewhere. There are words we use, like ​“Gospel” that we assume we know, but make we don’t.The problem is, the Gospel is difficult to describe and, as much as we try, we can’t fit our description into a snapshot. It’s much more tha…
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In Luke 15, we read a parable that depicts a Shepherd going out to to look for his Lost Sheep. This parable is another picture of the Good News Story. The Good News that one sheep was worth finding — it had precious value in the eye of the Shepherd.Perhaps when we think of this story, we jump to the conclusion that this sheep was lost by choice and…
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In Genesis chapter 1, we read the story of how God created new life in a desolate and empty space.He brought light into a dark place — and it was very good. This is perhaps our first glimpse at the good news of the Gospel.This good news, is still good news for us today?When God enters a place, situation, or community, he brings light that cannot be…
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We carry burdens, often unnecessarily. Or feel we need to resolve conflicts or problems immediately. God wants us to be still and trust him in these moments.New City Church’s Matt McFarland shares his story of growing up and struggling to please God, then realising we can’t reach a point where we are worthy on our own merit. Instead, God loves us w…
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Even in the most hostile conditions there is growth.Homero talks about what makes the cedar and palm trees special, and what they can teach us about endurance and perseverance.We then explore the idea of chesed love: A promise-keeping loyalty rooted in deep loving care.저자 Grace Community Church
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Death, suffering and injustice are a challenge when we're confronted with them. It's easy to dismiss the feeling of sorrow as a lack of faith, or worse, shame people when they are grieving.When we shun lament we lose that place of raw, honest vulnerability. In doing this, we also avoid the pain in the world.Do we think that God cannot handle your c…
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In Psalm 133 we see the heart of God revealed, when we are encouraged to live together in unity.This does not mean that we will agree on everything, or always see eye-to-eye, but rather we have a common bond that ties us together - Jesus!In verses 2 and 3 we are drawn to metaphors that speak to the way in which we should come together, like a fragr…
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The Psalms is a truly diverse mix of songs and ideas. From lament to praise. From reflection to exaltation.We often associate Psalms in the Bible with David, but there are many writers. Some unknown. This eclecticism of voice is important as we get used to the idea of ambiguity and theological assortment.We might have favourite Psalms, but they are…
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Stubbornness can be a good thing, but often it can be damaging.No matter what you’ve been through, God’s promise remains on your life. We walk in the promises of God through surrendered devotion to God.Stubbornness will keep us out of the presence of God.Surrender will lead us to deeper levels of encounter with the living God.…
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It’s easy to procrastinate, but what if we were able to put each day into an order that reflects our love of God and others?In Colossians Paul is commending them for the love they have in their hearts for Jesus and others. Where does their love come from? It comes from a hope that springs up from heaven. This hope is calling them home.Prepare ourse…
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At Pentecost, the Spirit of God was poured out an all flesh. This event shattered man-made hierarchies and religious norms. It would cause men and women, young and old, rich and poor to prophecy and dream.The debate around the Spirit of God tends to fall into one of two camps: academic and charismatic. However we need a balance between the two. We …
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In 1 Peter 4 v 7 – 11 we are encouraged to be clear-minded and responsible with the gifts that have been entrusted to us. We have a responsibility to take what has been given to us and share it with the world.If we steward our gifts well, we will make Jesus known to everyone and the deep love of Jesus will be seen and felt by those around us.Using …
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As the church has evolved over time, some changes have led to it maybe not functioning as it should.The roles of pastor and teacher have often been combined. Evangelists tend to function outside of church and prophets and apostles are few and far-between.However, it is evident that the "Ascension Gifts" mentioned in Ephesians 4 bring all of these r…
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We read in 1 Corinthians 12 about the range of spiritual gifts given to us as children of God. Each person is given a different gift, but they all point to revealing who God is and who we are in him.When we don’t unwrap our gifts, the whole body of Christ misses out, as all the gifts need to work together. Like the orchestral symphony that has many…
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God’s presence on earth is made visible through his people who are called to live sacrificial, fully available lives. His ‘Faithful Presence’ is manifest through us. In Romans chapter 12, we are encouraged to think of ourselves as part of the body of Christ.Each of us are blessed with gifts and talents, and we are called to use them in the building…
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The fire in Acts fell onto each person. Each individual blessed with a full gifting. And a spirit that can carry those gifts further and wider.Each of us has been gifted something that has the potential to change the lives of those around us. Yes, it’s unusual to find the sacrificial giving of your talent, time and treasure easy, but it’s important…
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Early Sunday morning, the disciples had returned to where they were staying. It was just Mary Magdalene left, crying, by the tomb were Jesus lay.Soon, she saw angels and who she thought was the gardener. It is possible the Jesus waited til Mary was on her own.The picture of Jesus’ tending the garden, might have seemed like a mistake on Mary’s part.…
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We are called to use our gifts and talents to the glory of God. Sometimes it’s not easy to name, accept or embrace our talents, so perhaps asking these questions might help us achieve ‘Spiritual Ikigai’ - our spiritual ‘reason for being’.1. What burdens our heart?2. What do voices of wisdom say about our gifts and talents?3. What skills do we posse…
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How can we have a prophetic imagination for our families, churches and communities? In the book of Acts we learn how the Holy Spirit awakened new imagination and authority in the early Christian church. As we strive to have prophetic imagination stirred in us, we need the ‘see, go and speak’ in faith, as Jesus did. We need to do this in ‘Oneness’ w…
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We can’t measure our talent by comparing ourselves with someone else. God is asking us to be faithful with the talents we’ve been given.A stage show — such as a musical — has a lot of people that are not the main performers, without whom the show would be a lot less exciting.저자 Grace Community Church
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Being part of the kingdom of God requires us to handle our treasure in a way that may seem counter-cultural to the world we live in. We are encouraged as believers to offer our ​‘first fruits’ to God, as an act of faith and worship.Rather than be motivated by external pressure to give, our motives should flow from the internal and eternal realms. M…
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After Paul had brought his message to the new churches around the Mediterranean, he returned to collect money. He suggested that, with their help, they were joining in with the "serving of the saints".Interestingly, in his instructions, Paul is not legalistic. He does not suggest an amount or a percentage, rather he is urging these new Christians t…
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Reading the "Feeding of the Five Thousand" opens up a number of questions that encourages us to look at Jesus' heart for his people.When they see the problem of all the hungry people they turn to Jesus for help but, to their surprise, he turns the table and asks them to do something. They are compelled to present the only food they have. Though mea…
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In scripture we are encouraged to be faithful with our time, talent and treasure. The question that we all have cause to ask is: how do we steward our money and resources in the best way possible? Does it mean tithing a set percentage, or could there be more to it?In Genesis 14 we have the first introduction to the concept of tithing, and this conc…
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Life does not progress on a linear timeline, but rather it zigs and zags, perhaps even moving in circles sometimes! In Ecclesiastes our attention is drawn to the fact that our life is like a mist or vapour, which passes by quickly. So how do we acknowledge, accept and redeem that fact?Every moment in life could be pregnant with possibility, but we …
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