DNA

DNA 4 - Sent

OUTLINE

On Sunday Hugh Preached the fourth sermon in our DNA series, looking at the 'culture' that we seek to foster as a church. We looked at being 'Sent Ones' and 'A Sent Church'. The key scripture was Isaiah 6:1-9 and we looked at 4 points;

1. REVELATION of who God is

2. REPENTANCE as we see who we truly are in light of who God is

3. RESCUE as God mercifully cleanses us and our sin is atoned for

3. RESPONSE to God's mercy and hearing His heart of 'Send me!'

KEY SCRIPTURES

Isaiah 6:1-9 6 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said:  “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 

5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” 9 And he said, “Go, and say…

DNA 3 - Endurance

OUTLINE

On Sunday Hugh Preached the third sermon in our DNA series, looking at the 'culture' that we seek to foster as a church. We looked at how to be 'An Enduring Church' - not an attractive title but a biblically commended character trait. He unpacked 4 helps to endurance from Hebrews 12;

1. Consider the CROWD OF WITNESSES

2. Consider JESUS

(a) Consider JESUS' PROMISE

(a) Consider JESUS' PATH

3. Consider the FATHERING OF GOD

4. Consider the JOY AHEAD

 

KEY SCRIPTURES

Hebrews 12:1–13 (ESV) 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with ENDURANCE the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him ENDURED the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  3 Consider him who ENDURED from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”  7 It is for discipline that you have to ENDURE. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

 

DNA 2 - Visionaries not Victims

You see Babylon was not their permanent home, but it was their present home and Jeremiah’s letter turned VICTIMS into VISIONARIES. Israel not only had a hope for the future, they also had a mission in the present
— C. Wright

OUTLINE

On Sunday Hugh Preached the second sermon in our DNA series, looking at the 'culture' that we seek to foster as a church. We looked at Jeremiah's letter to the exiles living in Babylon and how he directed them to live as citizens of heaven, on earth. Learning from that letter we looked at how we are to;

1. Get ROOTED in Colchester.

  • EMBRACE the place God has put you in.

2. Get ROOTING for Colchester

  • By actively seeking its WELFARE.
  • By PRAYING for it - before shaking your head in dismay, bow your head in prayer!

 

KEY SCRIPTURES

Jer 29:1-7 (ESV) These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.  (2)  This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem.  (3)  The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.  (4) "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:  (5)  Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce.  (6)  Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.  (7)  But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.  (8)  For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream,  (9)  for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the LORD.  (10)  "For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfil to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Mat 5:14-16 ESV  "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  (15)  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  (16)  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

DNA 1 - What kind of church will we be?

OUTLINE

On Sunday Hugh Preached the first sermon in our DNA series, looking at the 'culture' that we seek to foster as a church. We started to answer the questions 'What kind of church will we be?'. We looked at 3 points;

1. We will be a church where everyone is WELCOME.

- We will be a church where you can belong before you behave.

2. We will be a church where everyone is NEEDED. 

- We will be spiritual contributors, not spiritual consumers.

2. We will be a church where everyone is CHANGED

KEY SCRIPTURES

  • Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:1–2 (ESV)

  •  “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.” 1 Cor 12:27 (NLT)

  • 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Cor 5:17 (ESV)