The Bethel - Old Trafford Christadelphian Church

Andy uses Ephesians 5:25-26 and Exodus 29 as his backdrop to explore how we are all a product of our history; the legacies left to us make us who we are. What is the legacy of Jesus in our lives? Will we leave the fragrance of life with those we meet?

Trevor looked at the job description for the ideal disciple, and considered how well we measure up to it. With perhaps surprising conclusions.

Whilst guilt, expressed as self-loathing and generally wallowing in our own sadness is not helpful to us, Tom argues that guilt used appropriately can be a powerful impetus to change our behaviour to restore relationships and become more Christ-like.

Rob looks at a few examples of how Jesus served his disciples and how we can follow his way.

Following on from part 1 Kevin turns his focus to the implications of being a holy nation.

Kevin discusses what it means to be a Christian citizen as an individual and as a church.

We all have idols - things that we allow to come above God in our priorities. Aaron explores the way we may be half-heartedly committed to God and how our Idols may just be the 'high places that we haven't taken down' (Azariah / Joash) The encouragement comes from Hebrews 12, "let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles" reminding us that often, when we put aside...

Putting God first in our lives turns our world upside-down. In this upside-down world, we loose our self importance and loose our lives, to find true life: relationship with God. Mike's exploration of these concepts is profound and moving, reminding us that to put our relationship with God first means other relationships can be restored much more effectively and completely. Mike also showed us how...

John examines the ways we look for relationship with God and what it is like when we finally see his face.

Maurice explores how Jesus' values differ from human values, how our agenda is quite often different from God's agenda and the link between the fight of 'flesh' against 'spirit' in Matthew 5 and Romans 15. Maurice's key points were based on the concept of 'offence' and what that can mean biblically. 1. Something that trips us up in our relationship with God 2. Times when we just need to keep the l...

With the example of Latif Yahia as an illustration, Mike drew out how commonly it is very difficult to tell the difference between 'Christians' and non-Christians. He uses the warnings from Jeremiah who spoke to Israel about the same problem in Chapter 19 and then leads us on to the idea that we should be emulating and difficult to tell apart from Jesus. Jesus, being the 'exact representation of t...

What do you do in a crisis? How do you react when things go wrong? What's your response when you enter a slump? Malcolm encourages us to make sacrifices in small things for God to improve our self-control as well as our service, and reap the reward. God calls us to share our conviction and passion for Christ, and that will bring more colour into our lives. Malcolm looked at five things that the ap...

Walking through the various states of lifestyle: I'm not ok - you're not ok, I'm ok - you're not ok, I'm not ok - you're ok and I'm ok, you're ok, Pete explores how our approach to each other affects us understand ourselves and our faith. Pete argues from Philippians 2 that our desires should be for caring for each other not for 'right ' and 'wrong'.

Jesus said (and proved!) in Matthew ch 9 that 'the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins'. But he also stressed that those who seek forgiveness must themselves be prepared to forgive.

Taking cues from Isaiah 56, Charles explored two common 'Christian' traits that were also rife within the people of Israel: Self Justification and Favouritism. Jesus threw out both of these traits as he came to justify and "gather the outcasts of Israel." The 'I'm in, you're out' and 'others not welcome' sense that comes from self-justifying and practising favouritism is as common now as it was in...

In exploring 'servanthood' or 'servantship', Colin drew from the roots of the hebrew word for servant, and it's agricultural connotations, especially relating to the life of Samuel. Samuel was, as it were 'tilling the land', cultivating God's people so they would grow some real fruit. The question he asks us is 'what land are we cultivating and how are we aware of God's presence and will in each c...

Is God just sitting, waiting for that day when he will send Jesus back to set up his kingdom? Malcolm's encouragement was based on God not just waiting but working daily, for and with us as we look forward to Christ's return. There is also the challenge that we are to work too, not just sit and hope it all works out in the end.

Jesus' parable in Matthew 18:21-35 gives us a mirror in which to view the way we all act as the unmerciful servant. Tony explored how, though forgiveness and mercy are often seen as weakness, it is in forgiving others that we can break free from the destructive, hypocritical cycles in which we often live. Tony encouraged us to make the difference by living in a way to firgive others, just as Jesus...

John talks about William Tyndale making the bible accessible to all through his translation, and how we can learn a lesson by keeping the bible message simple and available to all.

God's love is often looked at as either a high theological concept or as a 'fluffy', vague 'something'. Pete Walked us through nine practical, tangible aspects of God's love for us. In the hope that at least one would connect with each of our hearts. The nine aspects were: God's love is - Life-giving, Affectionate, Providential, Personal, Wisdom, Faithful, Happiness, Lover & Lord, Friendship and h...

Andrew encouraged us not to trip over or miss out Jesus in our outreach efforts. As we seek to be socially responsible and culturally relevant, we must make sure we are clear about and communicate well the motivations for our actions individually and corporately.

The saving work of Christ was the hope that kept him going. His mission was to change people, to turn us round, to have an ongoing, multiplying effect like the ripples in a pond. Also Jesus was driven by knowing what his disciples would become, that hope strengthened Him, and to that end, he gave them hope in the symbols of the bread and the wine.

In part 2, Graham discusses the 'now but not yet' element of our hope, how we are to live with Christ's power at work within us and how our mission is to join Christ in his redemptive work in this world now. Graham encouraged us to take our place in advancing the Kingdom of God, in engaging in this world and inspire other people towards this hope too.

Graham takes a look at what the 'Hope' is and how it is 'breathing life into this distressed world', 'bringing heaven to earth', 'redeeming our bodies', 'being God's children', 'being with God forever', and 'freedom' from many things.

Martyn explored the muti-level symbolism within a loaf of bread and paralleled that with our spiritual lives within our community. We were left encouraged that Jesus is the fundamental, basic nutritional foodstuff for us spiritually, and that his model is vitally important; a community, with him at the head.