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The Alpha Course – Does God heal today? How can I make the most of the rest of my life? (9th week)

Does God heal today?

Introduction

Introduction of healing to this church

Our own experience

I. Healing in the Bible

1) Old Testament

Promises of God – eg (Exodus 23:25, 26) (Psalm 41:3)
The character of God “I am the Lord who heals you” (Exodus 15:26)
Examples of God healing (2 Kings 5) (Isaiah 38, 39)

2) The ministry of Jesus

His teaching – The kingdom of God (Mark 1:14) - Proclaimed and demonstrated
His healings – 25% of the Gospel
His commissions – Commission of the 12 (Matthew 9:35 – 10:8) - Commission of the 72 (Luke 10:1-20) – Commission of the disciples (Matthew 28:16-20) (Mark 16:15-20) (John 14:9-14 – especially v.12)

II. Healing in church history

Many examples of healing and miracles (Acts 3:1-10; Acts 5:12-16) Early church history eg Irenaeus (140-203), Origen (c.185-254) & Augustine (354-430)

III. Healing today

1) Simplicity

2) Love - (Mark 1:41) (Matthew 9:36)

3) Word of knowledge – pictures – sympathy pain – impressions – hear or see words – words formed on tongue

4) Prayer – where does it hurt? – why does the person have this condition? – how do I pray? – how are they doing? – what next?

Conclusion

Persevere

How can I make the most of the rest of my life?

Romans 12:1-21

I. What should we do?

1) Break with the past “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world” (v.2); “Do not let the world around you squeeze you into its mould” (v.2 J. B. Phillips)

2) Make a new start “Let God transform you inwardly by a complete change” (NEB) – sincere love (v.9) – enthusiasm for the Lord (v.11) – harmonious relationships (vv.9-21)

II. How do we do it?

“Present your bodies…” Act of will : – ears – eyes – mouths – hands – sexuality – time – ambitions (Matthew 6:33) – money
“…as living sacrifices” It will involve sacrifice; It may involve suffering

III. Why should we do it?

What God has planned for our future “His good pleasing and perfect will”
What God has done for us “In view of God’s mercy”

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December 04 2009 | The Alpha Course | No Comments »

The Alpha Course – What about the church? (8th week)

Introduction

Popular misconceptions:-

Church = service
Church = clergy
Church = a particular denomination
Church = the building

What is the Church?

I. The people of God (1 Peter 2:9,10)

Greek word “ekklesia” = an assembly or gathering of people

Church/kingdom

Baptism is the visible mark of being a member of the church

Baptism signifies:

Cleansing from sin (1 Corinthians 6:11)
Incorporation into Christ’s death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-5); (Colossians 2:12)
Sealing of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13)

1) Universal church (Ephesians 3:10, 21; 5:23, 25)

1,700 million + Christians in the world today and is growing by the days ..

persecuted church
third world
free world

2) Local church

“Galatian churches” (1 Corinthians 16:1)

“The churches in the province of Asia” (1 Corinthians 16:19)

“All the churches of Christ” (Romans 16:16)

Celebration services – festive occasions (Passover, Pentecost, New Year) – sense of God’s greatness – Weakness difficult to make trends
Celebration
Congregation – pastoral group 12 -50 people – small enough to know others and to be known – ministry to each other (Ephesians 4:12) – exercise of gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11) – open group
Congregation
Cell – small group (4-12 people) – close friends – keynotes : – confidentiality; intimacy; accountability (1 John 4:19)
Cell Meeting

II. The family of God (Ephesians 2:14-18)

God as our Father (John 1:12) – Importance of unity – Jesus prayed “…that they may be one” (John 17:11) – “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3)

“On the necessary points, unity; on the questionable points, liberty; in everything, love.” Rupertus Meldenius

Brothers and sisters to each other (1 John 4:19 - 5:1)

Faithfulness (Galations 6:10); Forgiveness (Matthew 5:23, 24); Fellowship (Acts 2:42-47) – fellowship with God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit (1 John 1:3) ((2 Corinthians 13:14) – and with one another (1 John 1:7) (Hebrews 10:24, 25)

III. The body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:1-26)

“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4)

Unity (Ehesians 4:3-6) “the unity of the Spirit”
Diversity (v. 7-11) “to each one of us grace has been given”
Mutual dependence (v. 14-26) “builds itself up in love, as each part does its work”