Missions And Diversity
written at Sunday, September 26, 2010
Guest speaker gave an excellent sermon message on Sunday. I did not expect it one bit, I came to church on the Sunday morning, tired and sleepy (Daylight savings stole 1 hour of my bed time). I was woken up by such a relevant, refreshing and powerful message this morning. It challenged me so much and made me think about my time in New Zealand and what experiences I can draw from it.
It was based on Acts 11, the guest speaker also happened to be a New Testament Lecturer from a local theological seminary so he knew the topic well and expounded the Word in such a way that it was both relevant and challenging to the diverse congregation within the church.
It was about the Church in Antioch. What was so significant about it? Well, it was the great central point in which the missionaries were sent to share the gospel message with the Gentiles, it was from this place where Paul started his first missionary journies. I think if it wasn't for the faithfulness and prayers of those our fellow Christian brethren living through those times, we wouldn't be who we are today. Which makes me wonder, how concerned am I for those around me, not just in my circles, but the world at large? I may not be with them physically, but I hope to keep them in my prayers more often than I am now, I do not want to be far removed. After all, we are in the same family aren't we?
I mean, imagine this, if my brother were to fall ill, or if he suffered some sort of injury overseas, how can God hear a prayer which sounds like, "Father, we give you thanks for our country/place is not affected by these things." I believe that what we pray for reflects the motives and the condition of our hearts and who God is to us. So today's sermon challenged us for the need of compassion even for those who are not in our circles.
One of the main things I drew from the message today was the concept of diversity. As someone coming to New Zealand, also knowing friends who have been part of different cultures or raised in various backgrounds, the speaker told us to cherish these experiences, as they will be the necessary bridges to share the gospel with others. Bi-cultural, tri-cultrual, quad-cultural, penta-cultrual, you name it. If we look in Acts 13, the church of Antioch had such a diverse range of people, Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. They had come from different regions, backgrounds and cultures. So that was a big learning point for me.
Missions and Diversity.
Missions And Diversity
written at Sunday, September 26, 2010
Guest speaker gave an excellent sermon message on Sunday. I did not expect it one bit, I came to church on the Sunday morning, tired and sleepy (Daylight savings stole 1 hour of my bed time). I was woken up by such a relevant, refreshing and powerful message this morning. It challenged me so much and made me think about my time in New Zealand and what experiences I can draw from it.
It was based on Acts 11, the guest speaker also happened to be a New Testament Lecturer from a local theological seminary so he knew the topic well and expounded the Word in such a way that it was both relevant and challenging to the diverse congregation within the church.
It was about the Church in Antioch. What was so significant about it? Well, it was the great central point in which the missionaries were sent to share the gospel message with the Gentiles, it was from this place where Paul started his first missionary journies. I think if it wasn't for the faithfulness and prayers of those our fellow Christian brethren living through those times, we wouldn't be who we are today. Which makes me wonder, how concerned am I for those around me, not just in my circles, but the world at large? I may not be with them physically, but I hope to keep them in my prayers more often than I am now, I do not want to be far removed. After all, we are in the same family aren't we?
I mean, imagine this, if my brother were to fall ill, or if he suffered some sort of injury overseas, how can God hear a prayer which sounds like, "Father, we give you thanks for our country/place is not affected by these things." I believe that what we pray for reflects the motives and the condition of our hearts and who God is to us. So today's sermon challenged us for the need of compassion even for those who are not in our circles.
One of the main things I drew from the message today was the concept of diversity. As someone coming to New Zealand, also knowing friends who have been part of different cultures or raised in various backgrounds, the speaker told us to cherish these experiences, as they will be the necessary bridges to share the gospel with others. Bi-cultural, tri-cultrual, quad-cultural, penta-cultrual, you name it. If we look in Acts 13, the church of Antioch had such a diverse range of people, Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. They had come from different regions, backgrounds and cultures. So that was a big learning point for me.
Missions and Diversity.
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Knowing
What matters supremely, therefore, is not
in the last analysis, the fact that I know God,
but the larger fact which underlies it --
the fact that He knows me.
J. I. Packer
