Talks

Bob Goody takes us through another story Jesus told (found in Luke 12:13-34) in this seventh part of our series “Covered in the Dust”.
The story goes that a man didn’t know what to do with the abundance of his harvest and decided to build more storage to keep his wealth. God called him a fool: “You won’t live to enjoy it!” – it’s not worth storing up treasure in heaven.
Bob talks to us about the fact that when it comes to giving, God wants our heart above all other things: our lives and lives of those around us are changed when we give God our heart.
Regarding our wealth (however big or small): once God has our heart, everything else will follow.
Billy Graham said: If a person gets his attitude towards money straight, it will straighten out almost every other area in his life.
Let’s be known as someone who was generous in this life. Give God you heart and everyone else will follow!

In the sixth part of our series, subtitled “The Rabbi part 1”, Matt looks at the teaching from one of Jesus’ most famous stories!
He explains that in order to be a follower of Jesus we have to understand what Jesus intended his listeners to hear in their context before applying it to our context today.

To our 21st Century ears this story can feel like a Hollywood emotional love story – where a wayward son returns and is welcomed by his father in a tear jerking moment!
And this is part of the message – and it’s still good news today – that God’s love and forgiveness welcomes anyone home no matter what they’ve done!

But there are other more shocking elements of the story which we could miss, without a bit more understanding of how Jesus was teaching his followers.
Matt explains that this story of the “Lost Sons”  (not just one lost son, because actually they were both equally lost) was really directed towards the religious leaders of the day, people who thought they were accepted by God through their actions.  Jesus deliberately shines a light on their way of thinking and living… and his story ends on a cliff hanger! In fact it doesn’t end at all….we are left with the invitation of the Father (God) to the older son to enter the feast and celebration but we don’t find out how he responds…..

And how do we respond today?
Maybe we feel like the younger son – aware that we need to accept the love and forgiveness of God. Or maybe we’ve become more like the older son, sceptical and cynical and even bitter towards God and we’ve lost sight of the fact that his grace is the only way.for us too.

In the fifth part of our series “Covered in the Dust”, Claire spoke to us from Matthew Chapter 14, the incredible miracle story of Jesus feeding over 5000 people, giving it the title “Baskets, Bread & Dusty Feet”

In this passage, Jesus is modelling something: We read that He was moved with compassion (the literal translation: talks about a “yearning in the bowels”) a deep and powerful emotion.

But just feeling deeply won’t make any difference. Claire challenged us to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, be moved to ACTION with compassion.

It’s interesting in this story, Jesus challenged the disciples to do something about the problem.  They got to not just witness the miracle, but also be part of it! He invites us to the same thing today: to play an active role in a miracle.

Claire suggested four steps:

1) See a need

2) Speak about the need

3) Address the need

4) Surrender to Jesus and serve the need

Claire encouraged us to think about whatever we have in OUR hand. For the disciples, on this day it was some bread and fish, what is it for you? Will you surrender this to Jesus, as you seek to follow him?

Let’s be people moved with compassion!

Let’s be people that Hear His invitation and surrender to His solution!

Let’s be people who respond to His call of discipleship!

Let’s be people who emulate His example of service!

In the fourth part of our series “Covered in the Dust”, Gill talks about “Following Jesus towards the sick”.
She focusses on two stories in where Jesus miraculously healed two people.  Gill points out 5 principles about “seeing” from the 2 stories:

1) People should see Jesus through us when we minister to them (Less of us, More of Him)

2) We should learn to see people through Jesus’ eyes: see their isolation, desperation and loneliness. When Jesus said to the friend who was lowered down in front of him that his sins are forgiven before healing him physically, he also healed his rejected soul.

3) The four friends saw Jesus first, just like we should have our eyes on Him.

4) Jesus sees our faith just like he saw the faith of the four friends.

5) Seeing beyond: The pharisees were stuck in following the laws and religious rules and couldn’t see past them. They couldn’t celebrate the miracle happening in front of their own eyes! 

Gill then encourages everyone to respond and to step forward to be anointed with oil.
- Anointed to pray for others for healing, in whatever area that might be
- A step of faith in accepting healing for our own health issues
- Accept Jesus’ forgiveness of sins and let him enter into our lives.

In the third part of our “Covered in the Dust” series, Bob Goody talks about “Following Jesus to the Well” the story of Jesus in John Chapter 4.

Jesus breaks the rules
Jews hated Samaritans!  And yet Jesus did not walk the traditional route from Judea to Galilee that avoided Samaria, but went straight through the area Jews would normally avoid.
Then, He speaks to a Samaritan woman which was unheard of in the culture of the day.  A) because she was a Samaritan and B) a woman!  And yet Jesus breaks the norms of the day – a personal message to the woman but also to everyone else watching!

Jesus speaks truth into a situation
He speaks truth into this particular women’s life and she accepts His offer of hope. Bob challenged us to contemplate what truth Jesus would speak into our lives if it was us meeting Jesus at the well today?
Jesus also speaks truth about worship: it’s not about a building or a place. God is for ALL people.

Jesus brings conviction (not condemnation)
Jesus only points out the things I DO wrong - He’s NOT saying there’s something wrong with me!
Just like the Samaritan women who went to tell the whole village about Jesus, we are invited to tell others. But first, just like her, we are invited to come to the well and let Jesus speak His truth and hope into our hearts.

In the second part of our new series “Covered in the Dust”, Zoe first makes us aware that Jesus is still a bigger influencer and has more followers than any record holder on social media before she unpacks Luke 9.57-62 for us.
In this passage, Jesus talks to people who either are asking or are asked to follow Jesus. Jesus points out 3 truths in his responses:

Following Jesus is not an easy path - choices and sacrifices have to be made
Don’t miss your time of training - don’t hang on to your comfort - put Jesus above culture and tradition
To plough a straight line, you have to look forward - looking back is loosing focus
The choice to follow Jesus is offered to every single one of us today! There are great rewards promised if we do. Zoe encourages us to count the cost, find out for ourselves that it is worth it and then go for it:
It’s not listening to a message that changes us - it’s putting it into practice that does!

In our first Sunday in our new series “Covered in the Dust” (a series about “Following Jesus”), we look at 4 examples on Mark’s gospel where Jesus invited his disciples to “follow him.”  In order to understand this correctly Matt explains that we havw to understand the Jewish context first.

The invitation to “Follow” was what Rabbi’s would offer in very exceptional cases for the best of the best young boys of the day.

When Jesus said “Follow me” to those young men, they would have understood that he was offering to be their Rabbi (or teacher) and they would become his “Talmidim” Hebrew for disciple or better translation would be “apprentice”.

The goal of each apprentice was essentially:

To Be with their Rabbi
To Become like their Rabbi and eventually
To Behave like their Rabbi
There was a lovely Jewish Blessing that simply said: “May you be covered in the dust of your Rabbi” or in other words “May you follow him around so closely that his dust (in the desert land of Israel) would become your dust because you’ve been so close to him.”

Jesus still offers us the opportunity to “follow him” today – to become his “Talmidim” or apprentice and to learn to be with Him, (by His Spirit) to become like him and ultimately to behave like him too!

How can we do that today?  Well, that’s basically the purpose of this series!

Linking directly to our Vision for 2022 – Climbing Higher – Seeing Beyond, Stuart speaks about Jesus’ message famously described as the Sermon on the Mount – (Matthew 5) and how the 8 beatitudes can be seen as like climbing a mountain (4 attitudes of ascent) and coming back down (4 attitudes of descent)
Going up the mountain (CLIMB) “Good on ya” when you recognise that you:
1) Are poor in Spirit: less about material poverty but recognising that we have nothing without God.
2) Mourn: Grieving over my lostness
3) Are Meek: to have controlled strength, like a horse that has been broken in
4) Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness (the top of the mountain: Wanting God more than anything else)
Coming down the mountain (SHINE) The way to bring flourishing to the world around us is:
5) Merciful: to have empathy and also to put it into action
6) Pure in heart: not “perfect” motives, but becoming whole and mature, a heart with “right” motives
7) Peacemakers: to bring peace in a divided society, to mediate and negotiate
8) Persecuted because of Righteousness

We remember the life of the Queen, an incredible servant of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for over 70 years and pray for the new King.

Then, Matt re-focusses us towards our Ashwood Vision for 2022: “Climbing Higher, Seeing Beyond.”
He boldly declares “We haven’t stopped climbing!”

In the same way that God invited Moses to come up the mountain to meet with Him, we believe that God extends the same invitation to us.
Mountains in the bible were places of worship, sometimes sacrifice and encounter – we don’t have to climb a mountain to experience God. BUT we do have to make a choice to come into His presence actively.
The 4 pictures on our banners represent 4 different elements:

Picture 1) When we climb a mountain our natural perspective changes.  So, too our spiritual perspective when we move towards God.
Picture 2) This year we’ve explored some “Spiritual Practices”.  Jesus often “withdraw” to a quiet place we need to as well.  (See previous series) and also our focus to “Make Space” in September.
Picture 3) Don’t climb alone! God is more concerned with our Character Development than our comfort! When we walk/climb alongside others, we develop character and become more like Christ. God wants us to be planted and to grow! And his vehicle is …. Alongside other people! = Church!

Matt talks about 5 Culture Goals we’re always working towards:
We pray first
We welcome everybody
We speak well of one another
We grow and learn together
We welcome feedback (in the context of loving, kind and growing relationships)
Picture 4) There’s a new confidence for us! “He (God) makes me sure footed like a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain hights” - Psalm 18.33.

Steve Wendels talks to us about the five-fold ministry on the day we honour Dave and Esther Ransome after years of service in Ashwood Church.
His message is based on Ephesians 4:11-13 and to help us understand it better, Steve answers three questions about this text:
WHO?
- People (defined under WHAT), appointed by Christ himself. Now, these people are appointed by the church, as directed by Jesus’ Holy Spirit
WHAT?
- The Apostle who is a pioneer, sent to lay strong, Christlike foundations within the church
- The Prophet, to speak truth whether past, present or past and to encourage the gift of prophesy in the church. He speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort
- The Evangelist, called to create an evangelical spirit within the church.
- The Pastor who is called to lead the flock and
- The Teacher who is called to uncompromisingly teach biblical truth
WHY?
- To equip God’s people for works of service
- To encourage all to reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God
- To become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ