Message by pastor David Bessant
Be a United supporter
Through good and bad- I have supported Chelsea since the 1960s and of course last night ... Chelsea won the F.A. Cup!
Given all of that you might be a little surprised to hear me say;
"I believe God wants us all to be United supporters!"
Not "United" the soccer team... But rather the UNITY OF GOD'S PEOPLE!
In the O.T. Psalm 133
1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!
For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life for-evermore.
In the N.T.
In John 17 in his last prayer time with his disciples do you know what topped the Lord's prayer points for his people... that they may be one!
Jesus prayed (John 17: 20-23 )
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.
May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:
I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
We've already been reminded by the Scripture that was the inspiration for this morning's service in Acts 2;
The Day of Pentecost, The day the Holy Spirit was given, the day the church was born
Also in Acts 21, wWhen the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
So then there is no getting away from it, being "One"... "Togetherness" ... "Unity" is a big deal to God!
In Paul's Letter to the Church at Ephesus- a letter that is often referred to as Paul's Epistle of the Church ...
chapters. 1-3 of Ephesians is a celebration of what God has done...
he has given us by grace through faith in Christ....
Its Celebration Time!
- Celebrate that God 'chose us in him before the creation of the world.'
- Celebrate that 'In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ'
- Celebrate that 'In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins'
- Celebrate 'his great love for us'
- Celebrate 'his rich mercy,'
- Celebrate 'we are alive Christ'
- Celebrate 'it is by grace you have been saved.'
- Celebrate 'we are God's workmanship- his masterpiece.'
- Celebrate 'once we were far off- but now through Jesus death we have been brought near'