City Church Sheffield Podcast

The grace of God as revealed by Jesus saves sinners, brings people together and turns religious expectations inside out.

The teaching of Jesus is backed up with authority to heal and forgive. We just have to come to Jesus for forgiveness.

The cornerstone is a stone without which the building could not exist. God has placed the cornerstone and the whole of history lines up with Jesus.

Jesus cleanses a man with leprosy, not to get a following or to prove that he is Son of God, but out of compassion. He also cleanses us of our sin.

The Kingdom of God is near - our God reigns, and everywhere we go, we carry the Kingdom of God.

Jesus showed what God's kingdom is like by teaching, driving out demons, healing the sick and spending time with his Father in prayer.

After all Josiah has done, he now fails to hear what God says through Neco. Fear, discouragement or self-sufficiency can cause us to fail to hear God.

As the Church grows, persecution increases. Let us pray for courage through persecution, for many to see the truth and for God to be glorified.

Jesus is proactive. He doesn't wait for people to come to him but goes to where the people are and calls them to follow him. He takes the initiative.

We can love one another increasingly because God first loved us, and if we love, God will live in us. It is not a feeling but a serving love.

There is great news - we can join Jesus' life. John the Baptist prepares the way for God himself. Whereas Israel failed in the desert, Jesus overcame.

Although Josiah turned wholeheartedly to God, when we look under the surface we see that the people were just going through the motions.

We are all called to serve like Jesus did, but deacons support the elders by being responsible for looking after specific aspects of the church.

Because we are connected to Jesus we can heal in his name and also open people's spiritual eyes in his name.

A good overseer will lay his life down for the church. Character is important rather than IQ, and elders must avoid conceit and disgrace.

Daniel's 3 friends had learnt from him to have faith and be courageous. They were courageous because they sought God.

Will we choose to be like King Josiah and live lives wholeheartedly for God?

Marking the start of our second chapter' as a church, Gary encourages us to know that God is with us and to step into all that he has for us.

We can be like the Israelites who rebelled against God out of fear, or we can be like Joshua and Caleb who trusted God and didn't fear the details.

Moses never loses sight of the most important thing, and neither should we. God gives many things but nothing compares with the presence of God.

No one is beyond God's grace, which is abundant, powerful, available for all, and given for a purpose.

After all Nehemiah's effort, he finds the people backslidden and God apparently absent. Like him we should be faithful, passionate and proactive.

Just as the bronze snake was lifted up to deal with the poison of the snakes, so Jesus was lifted up to deal with the poison of sin.

When the sheep and the goats are separated there will be no one left in the gap, no decision left to be made. The sheep are blessed.

It always good to give thanks and have the Eeyore-like spirit of gloom lifted from us. God is ALWAYS good, loving, and faithful for all eternity.