Godfirst Cheltenham

In his fourth Session of the 2015 Weekender, Matt gives us practical ways we can live as fruitful disciples on mission. "Those with changed hearts change nations."

In Mark 3 we find Jesus redefining both nation and family. In Jesus we are born of God into a new family. Howard explains how the negative influences of our natural families need to be re-parented as we disciple each other as a church family.

Paul challenges us to die to a life as material and spiritual consumers and live as disciples of Jesus, as servant missionaries.

Jairus' daughter is on the verge of death but Jesus waits and turns aside to a women who has touched him. What do we do when Jesus' timing is way out of line with ours?

We end up building walls and drawing circles and including us and excluding them. Here we find Jesus sets his disciples a practical Us and Them test, in which they fail to find their voice and pull down the barriers between Us and Them

Mark's use of Jesus' two stage healing of the blind man and Peter's confession of Jesus as Messiah illustrates that if you don't see Messiah-ship as the way of the cross then you will never be a disciple of Jesus.

So often we put God in a box because to encounter him in worship is scary, so we create religious structures to keep him at a distance. We need to understand Jesus is with us by his spirit, and we are to be hungry to meet him in worship

When we weigh money in one hand and Jesus in the other what choices do we make - not in theory but in how it affects our bank statements? How much does Jesus self giving on the cross move you? A few pounds? 10%?

What makes God mad? As Jesus clears the temple and judges the fig tree it's clear that fruitless religion is right up there. Jesus lifts the leaves and looks for the fruit of dependence on him, mission and intimacy with him.

The story of the Bible was summed up in an everyday meal of broken bread and wine. Yet this meal is full of meaning we so often neglect and in doing so we fail to remember the gospel story.

Sophie calls us to a life of Ruthless Trust! Brilliantly personal and biblical Sophie wraps the Fathers arm around all those who face life's big challenges. Death is swallowed up in VICTORY.

Our society finds failure compelling, because it shines a light into the human condition. But in Peter's story we find it is the cascading grace and kindness of Jesus that is compelling!

This is the gospel: One must live so one will go free. Jesus or Barabbas - his fathers son. The Father knew he would have to treat Jesus like Barabbas so he could treat Barabbas’ (like us) like his true son Jesus.

Howard explores four biblical metaphors for what Jesus cross achieved and what it means for us. The slave market - redemption; The court room - justification; The temple - cleansing; The family, the home - reconciled.

When you can love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, then you are stepping beyond mere human forgiveness but you are walking with Jesus, as a disciple of the Great Forgiver.

Howard argues we are to strongly support feminism which affirms the equality of the sexes, but the Triune God shows us you can be equal but have complementary roles. In marriages these roles are cross shaped.

Everybody cares who you sleep with! Its just that we disagree about what is sex and who gets to use it. Yet we all know that there is more to sex that skin on skin. Perhaps we all know something more spiritual is being imaged - Jesus's love for his Church.

If we step aside from prejudice and examine the historical / legal evidence for the resurrection of Jesus then we can come to no other verdict than he is risen beyond all reasonable doubt.

Is God really God? Howard walks through the Bible showing that Sin, Death and Hell are intrusive invaders into God's good earth. Picking up themes of darkness, separation, and outside the city we find ourselves at the Cross

This remarkable story is our story. Ruth shelters under the wings of the God of Israel. Boaz shows Ruth loving kindness because his mother Rahab had be a foreigner and a prostitute who find in Israel God loving kindness. Boaz like Christ takes Ruth under his wings and catches her up in God's big story, as the great grandmother of King David.

Drawing on Tim Keller's The Meaning of Marriage, Howard contrasts the consumer, comodified unfaithful nature of our relationships with the covenant self giving love and faithful of Jesus. The committed and faithful Jesus who gave himself for us as "he stayed" on the cross.

How should Jesus followers live in a sex saturated world? Ultimately sex images the God you worship. It's either loving relational and self giving or it's all about power, control and self-gratification. The series journeys through Jesus our True Husband, Singleness, Marriage, Pornography, and Sexual Orientation.

How should Jesus followers live in a sex saturated world? Ultimately sex images the God you worship. It's either loving relational and self giving or it's all about power, control and self-gratification. The series journeys through Jesus our True Husband, Singleness, Marriage, Pornography, and Sexual Orientation.

All of us, like our first parents, are tempted at one time or another to hide behind the fig leaves of the image we create to cover our shame and the naked truth about us. Dave Bish brilliantly encourages us to be clothed in Jesus, as only in Jesus can we be ourselves and feel no shame.

What are the Vital Signs of healthy Christians and healthy church? Journey with Godfirst as we take our spiritual pulse on everything from knowing Jesus, our communities, and our mission, to handling our money and our time.