Firstly Happy New Year 2023 to all. What a time we are living in with seismic times upon us at all levels in our World - Governmental, Societal, Nature, Financial, Spiritual you name it, everything is being shaken. The Bible speaks of a time of great tribulation with things getting worse until the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ. This is our great hope so that things aren’t falling apart, they are falling into place.
1. Assignment
2. Identity in Christ
3. Authority given by the Lord to do the work in our assignment
These are things for us all to self-examine this year and indeed for the Elders and leadership in regards to PCC.
Len spoke of a huge Identity crisis in the world - people don’t know who they are. People don’t know what men and women are, what marriage is, who boys and girls are, they are completely lost. And it’s going to take a miracle of God to change that now. But we have an identity as members of the Body of Christ. We are the Light of the World.
Ephesians 1:17-19
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might
In summarising Len said
expect God to do different things in your life in 2023. Don’t say « I’m not ready for this Lord » say « Send me, use me to do the work you have called me to do ».
And then he had a word from the Lord for many of you.
Susana and Dakoda - Isaiah 61 ministry - those rejected / healing
Terina - heart to equip others/wisdom beyond years. Sporting ability to bring a testimony
Matthew - safety - teaching the gospel to men particularly. Build the house with living stones.New season of business
Wycliffe & Teremoana - Pursue the Lord for future ministry. Teremoana to be set free today.
Erina - finding home, family. God has put a hope in you. An evangelical call.
Moa- Hunger for the Lost. Many coming to home. Reaching people through food. Healing to families/evangelical.
Trevor and Nali - Heart for children. Working in the community for children. Orphanage.
Paul and Tania - family and friends - something about the grace. Light in the dark place. Generosity. Community call. Serve broken and hungry. Always be food to feed. Compassion.
Shane - wider community coming into the knowledge of God. Take mission into the community, not just the good work but the work of Christ — local to regional
Bob - greater authority justice/righteousness the foundation of NZ
Micah 6:8
Political rhetoric will be challenged, God will give him a platform to the nation.
End times church to bring an awakening.
Len and Linda wrote to us to say they immediately felt part of the family. We hope to get them back, how great it would be to encourage them that we’ve made progress in our assignments !
Now I’d like us to turn to Romans 12 to talk some more about our role in the Body of Christ.
Romans 12:1
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Jesus said that God is Spirit and that we must worship him in spirit and in truth. Paul explains what that means. Dying to self, living holy, allowing our bodies to be used by God to do his will. What we look at, listen to, where we go all need an examination. Praying (on our knees, corporately) listening and doing.
The 2nd key verse that Len gave us was
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit. Notice that transformation comes from the renewal of our minds. Does your mind keep falling into the same old patterns? Renewal can only come in conjunction with reading and studying the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will cause us to think differently. Testing can be us trying things out. I think it’s said that Edison made 1000 unsuccessful attempts before he invented the light bulb. But the fact is that God does allow tests to come into our lives to help us find the will of God. If the tests are passed, the green light comes on and we will know we have discerned His Will.
Remember Len sharing what the Angel said to Gideon « the Lord is with you, you mighty man of valour. » Gideon looked around because he knew that could not possibly be him. But he was transformed by the power of God. So many characters in the Bible were like that weren’t they? Men and women transformed by the power of God, unrecognisable from who they once were.
« God speaks to what we will become. He has chosen us for a purpose. »
Len asked us;
« How can I fit my gift, my calling into the work of the local church ? » He said to ask the leaders the question and press in.
Len said we need to pray that Heaven will call those things to Earth to release the resources that we need in our assignment.
He said God is speaking to the identity of the church today telling that we need to rise as disciples fully understanding the assignment and authority given to us and we need to move freely in the things of the Spirit knowing we have authority. We need to come to maturity.
He said God wants us to bring liberty to the captives, healing to the broken-hearted because the Spirit of the Lord is upon us. To break the yoke of the enemy in Jesus name.
Allowing the Holy Spirit to renew our minds will reveal problems in our thinking. We are immersed in our job culture, in NZ culture, in global woke culture. Renewing our mind is going to put us against the tide. « Love not the world nor anything in it ». With a renewed mind we will be able to test ideas and find God’s will for our life.
Romans 12:3
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
This time of year is when people make New Year’s resolutions. By February, some of them will already be given up. We need to be sober minded, realistic, honest about what we can do. But notice that faith is given in measure. Let’s be realistic but let’s also stretch ourselves this year. As Len said, and I may be paraphrasing this but this is the time for the Church to step up or step into the assignment God has given us.
Romans 12:4- 8
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Each one of us does have a gift but we do not have the same gifts. PCC is built on 2 core values;
1. We emphasise the « Body of Christ » Ministry and Mission with Jesus Christ as the Head
2. Each member exercising individual spiritual gift/s for the building of the Body and the Communication of the Gospel
It is so important that we all use our gifts. Your donations are of course very important to cover our bills and leave plenty for mission. But the greatest offering you can make is YOU. It’s exactly what Paul meant when he said to « present your bodies as a living sacrifice »
We currently have some gaps in children and youth ministry, in the worship team, possibly a need for another home group. Is there something you can get involved in? Is there another gap that you can see? Maybe that’s the Lord asking you to step in to that assignment this year. We believe all the gifts mentioned in the New Testament are valid today. Please see me or one of the other Elders if you need some help in getting started !
There are some things to notice about the different gifts;
1. Some are straightforward eg. Those who can teach, teach.
2. Some of the gifts require other gifts. eg. Prophesy is in proportion to Faith
3. Some require a transformation in our attitude/character (refer earlier point) eg. The one who leads with zeal
Finally the remainder of Romans 12 is about the 2nd commandment (to love your neighbour as yourself) and the new commandment (to love one another as I have loved you). Paul emphasises love in the Church and towards the world. The next chapter Romans 13 is about obeying the government. Of course we cannot always do that when a government requires something of us which is against God but I’m guilty of having a bad attitude towards the Government and really shouldn’t I be praying for them instead. Again the renewing of the mind !
Romans 12:9
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
We are living in a time where formerly Christian countries like New Zealand are now saying what the Bible says is good is evil and what the Bible says is evil is good. We mustn’t get confused. When Paul says to abhor what is evil, hold fast to what is good, he is saying to be true to what the Bible says about murder, marriage, perversion, witchcraft, idols, antichrist religions and so on. This will make people hate us. For this reason it is even more important that we love one another. We hope PCC is like a family home, a haven from the world.
Romans 12:10-13
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
These verses spoke to me this week. I realised I was moaning, weary. I don’t want to be slothful, neither do I want to be too busy and complaining. I need to change. I have a responsibility to not be conformed to this world - to put a check on TV, YouTube and Facebook and allow the Holy Spirit to transform me by the renewing of my mind. With a renewed mind and a transformed life, we can be fervent in spirit and serve the Lord. When it gets as hard as it was during the worst of Covid and it will be much worse as the End Times progress, we are to support each other and are called to love our enemies also.
Romans 12:14
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
If this is hard now, just wait until the persecution increases as the End Times progress. We will do well to remember this verse then.
Romans 12:15-16
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
I hope we will spend more time with each other this year. Covid got us all isolated and we somehow got disconnected and probably missed being aware of some of the struggles. Churches across the World lost 10-20% of their congregations after the lockdowns. Let’s reconnect more often in 2023.
Romans 12:17-21
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Paul makes a final call to love our enemies. Loving our enemies is very humbling because they don’t deserve it ! Even though we are to abhor evil, hold fast to what is good, we are also to proactively overcome evil with good. This does not have to be with big programs or responses. Sometimes the smallest of kind gestures can turn a life around.
So in summary, 2023 is a time for reconnection, a time for renewal, a time for transformation and a time for growth.
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
