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  • Writer's pictureMatt Beaney

#175 – SHINE BY OFFERING THE GOSPEL (21/8/20)

If you missed Sunday's broadcast, please catch up by following the link below. (For the foreseeable future, we will be running our Sunday morning services digitally. Please go to our website on Sundays at 10:30 to join in)




‘Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. ’ (Philippians 2:15-16).

If we do not ‘hold firmly to the word of life’ we will have ‘run or laboured in vain’ - we will have wasted our lives.

‘Hold firm’ can also be translated, ‘hold out the word of life’. We shine as we speak the gospel message of how Jesus died on the cross to save people.


John writes

‘The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him.  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.’ (John 1:9-13)

Let’s be clear, many did not and many will not receive or believe in this ‘true light that gives light’ - Jesus. But, the promise is, that he will cause some to be ‘born of God’ and believe.


RESPONSE

Holding out the word of life takes faith and courage.

It requires that we believe that God is at work to save.

We must accept that many will reject the message and sometimes reject us.

We will hold out the word of life if we believe in hell and judgement and so be moved by compassion.

We must take practical action to ‘shine among them’ by being in people’s lives in a way that opens doors of opportunity.

And, finally, we must trust that the simple gospel can save and that God has given us enough skill to share it.


 

COMMUNITY GROUP STUDY


Some groups are not meeting in August. However, if you do meet, please use one of the daily studies and the questions below as the basis of your study together.


Discussion questions:

1. What is the Holy Spirit speaking to you about (maybe from Sunday's message or your bible reading this week)?


2. What will you do in response?


3. How can we pray for you?



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