Talks

Matt summarises for us what we have heard over the last few weeks about stepping out in 2023:

What does it look like for you to step out in the Spirit?
Walk by the Spirit
Be Led by the Spirit
Live by the Spirit
Keep in step with the Spirit
What does it look like for you to step out in faith?
Maybe there are some disappointments to overcome, maybe it means trusting God in a specific circumstance.
Remember Jesus said “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible!”

What does it look like for you to step out and shine bright?
We are called to be different, to reflect Jesus and to share His Light – in a world that desperately needs it.

What does it look like for you to step out together?
The Christian life requires us all to take responsibility for our own relationship with Jesus.  BUT we were never meant to do it alone.
Let’s tune our heart to Jesus - just like an orchestra tunes their instruments to one note on a tuning fork.

Don’t just be an observer, let Matt challenge you too to reflect on the question: What does it mean for ME to step out in 2023? What are MY next steps?
We got very practical on Sunday too!  We gave out “handouts” so everyone could write down what it looked like for them to “Step out in 2023”

In the next part in our Vision 2023 Series Zoe encourages us to step out TOGETHER, based on Galatians 5.13-26. This passage explains how we can love, serve and interact with each other positively and warns us of the negative impacts when we don’t. 
Eugene Peterson says:
“One of the immediate changes that the gospel makes is grammatical:
we instead of I; our instead of my; us instead of me.”
 
We need to be together in order to be in step with the Spirit. 

Zoe reminds us of the tuning fork that the orchestra use : We need to tune ourselves to Jesus and the Holy Spirit, not to each other. If He is the “tuning fork” we each adjust our “tune” to, we can be in harmony together. 

Being “together” is not always easy! The wonderful thing about God’s church is that it’s the only place where such different and diverse people (us!) can be together. Unlike many “groups” we don’t gather because we have the same likes or dislikes, or because we are the same age or have the same experience of life.  We gather because we love Jesus (the tuning fork) and we want to follow His way of loving others as well.  It’s possible (even necessary!) to love people we don’t naturally “like” – and that’s the choice we make.
 
The meeting finishes with taking communion together, including an older tradition called “passing the peace”. Christians would take time in their gatherings to think about the importance of right relationships and if necessary “make peace” (or restore relationships) before taking the communion bread and wine (juice):  A focus on building strong relationships together.

Part 3 in our Vision 2023 Series – Stepping out Shining Bright

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” 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 labour in vain. Philippians 2 : 12-16

Bob speaks to us about what it means to step out reflecting Jesus – the source of light and illuminating our world.

He reminds us of the words of Jesus – “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  As people around look at us, and the way we live our lives – we will be pointing them towards God.

Called to be different >> To reflect Jesus and share His light.

In the next part of our vision series - Claire challenges us to step out in Faith, using the story of Peter stepping out of the boat to walk on water in Matthew 14:24-32.
Claire also tells us the story of a blindfolded tightrope walker that was challenged to walk on a tightrope over the Niagara Falls, pushing a wheelbarrow! After he’d walked it one way, he asked the challenger if he now believed he could do it! The challenger said “Of course I believe it now!  I’ve seen you do it with my own eyes!!!”  “Great!” replied the tightrope walker “Now will you get in the wheelbarrow and come back with me then!?”
Thinking we believe something is one thing, but believing it enough to take a measure of risk is quite another! Could 2023 be the year of mountain-moving, storm-calming, seas-splitting, ground-taking and body-raising FAITH in Ashwood?
Jesus turned to His disciples and said to them intently “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible!” Matthew 19:26
It is as if Jesus is speaking “intently” to us – “With God all things are possible.”  What are you believing God for in 2023?

Paul Bell speaks to us about “Stepping out in the Spirit”, one of the ways we envision to step out in the year 2023!

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control

Based on Galatians 5.13-26 he explains to us what it means to walk in the Spirit, to be led by the Spirit, to live by the Spirit and to keep in step with the Spirit.

First we need to understand that there are two ways to live: in the Flesh and in the Spirit.
The Flesh is basically everything that is driven by a sinful self-interest that is at odds with the Spirit. There is a war in us between the two and it is by our fruit that we can see which of the two is victorious!

But fruit takes time to grow and needs to stay attached to the tree to keep doing so. Likewise we need to stay close to God by the Spirit and be patient to advance at His pace, not ours. In everyday desicions, big and small, keep in step with the Spirit.
What does it look like for yout o walk and be led by the Holy Spirit?

Matt introduces us to the Ashwood Church Vision for 2023
If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.  (Proverbs 29, Message)
Matt says it’s important that we have a vision for our lives too!  What does God see for us and do we have the same view?

Our overall Church Vision is the same:  “To become a Spiritually Healthy Church for all ages” and our Mission “to help people find and follow Jesus”.  Our vision for 2023 helps us see specifically for this year.

In November 2022 our Senior Leadership Team and part of our Ashwood Church Vision Team went away to pray and seek God for Ashwood Church for 2023:

In 2023 God invites us to be STEPPING OUT.

Stepping out in the Spirit:  (Galatians. 5:25)
Walking with the Spirit
Living by the Spirit
In step with the Spirit
Stepping out together:
We don’t do life on our own! Just like all the instruments in an orchestra tune to one note (a tuning fork!) we want to tune our lives to Jesus. Jesus at the Centre!
Stepping out shining:
God will show himself to the cold and dark world through us! (Isaiah Chapter 60)
Stepping out in faith:
We live by faith - not by sight (2 Corinthians. Chapter 5 verse 7). We don’t know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future!
Is this also the year for our New Home for Ashwood?

Please accept our apologies for some technical issues in recording this service.

In this second talk on “First Things First”, Matt speaks about God’s plan for us individually, corporately as a local church but also for the worldwide church.
Using the story of Isaac finding a wife (see Genesis 24) he illustrates that there are five elements that we can learn in seeking God’s plans for our lives:

Commanding Scripture: the plan is in line with God’s word
Compelling Spirit: “God-incidences” (as opposed to co-incidences) happen
Common Sense: the obvious fits in with the plan
Council of the Saints: trusted brothers and sisters in Christ agree with the plan
Circumstantial Signs: prayers to confirm the plan are answered

There isn’t only one path for our lives, and sometimes we’re focused on one thing and God is trying to do something else.  Let’s remember that:  “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8.28)

Finally Matt encourages us with 3 things:
God is not finished with you yet! (Jigsaw Picture!) “If you’re not dead, you’re not done!”
Remember God’s big plan for your life: For you to become like his son (Romans 8.29)
Remember God’s biggest plan beyond your life: Salvation for all God’s children

How better could we start the year than by putting “Jesus at the Centre of it all!”?
Matt reminds us that we are in a battle. We are pulled away from Jesus by the world, the flesh and the devil.
It is only in partnership with the Holy Spirit that we can win that battle! The bible tells us: “The Holy Spirit that lives in you is greater than the Spirit that lives in this world” and “Take heart, for I have overcome the world”.
How do we put Jesus in the centre?

Remember who Jesus is: The centre of the universe and also of our lives (Col. 1)
Practice the ways of Jesus by starting a new habit or/and quieting another, eg Prayer, Scripture, Sabbath, Fasting, Community
Seek first the Kingdom of God in relationships, finances, choices and every other area of your life: Jesus is everything!

Now more than ever we need:
1) Good News! -> The Christmas Story is still the best good news: Immanuel, God with us!
2) A Saviour! -> Jesus came to seek and save the lost!
3) to make room for Jesus to live in us
4) to adore Him

Enjoy with us the wonder of Christmas surrounded by carols and candle light