The Centre Community Church

Tag: Kingdom

Why Church?

What’s the point in going to church? They just want to take your money. The church is a man-made institution that was made to keep people in line. It’s outdated, and no longer relevant. I’ve got much better things to do like spend time with my family and friends. I can do church and follow God on my own – I don’t need anyone to help me.

Perhaps you’ve heard some of these comments from people when you’ve talked to them about church, or told them that you go. Maybe you’ve even felt that way yourself, and wondered what is the point anyway!

This Sunday we’re going to start a new 4 week series on church, and why it’s important to be a part of the local church. In fact, it’s not even a choice for a Christian. If you are a Christ-follower, then you need to belong to the local church. We’re going to look at the reason behind church, what we’re called to be and do, and how we go about it doing it. To get you ready for the series I’d encourage you to read the letter to the Ephesians, and read through the book of Acts, always keeping in mind the question, “What’s the point in going to church?”

I’ll see you on Sunday!

Pastor Mike

22/09/2016
Living In the Kingdom/Living Out the Kingdom: Connection to God

For the past five years I’ve spent a week at Camp Widjiitiwin (www.mycamp.ca) either as the camp pastor, or bringing youth up from Hamilton’s inner city. It’s always been a wonderful time of ministry, but incredibly tiring! One thing about Camp Widjiitiwin is that the cell reception is spotty at best! There are very few spots on the camp ground where you can get a clear signal so staying in contact with the outside world is tough to do. Sometimes parents would get frustrated because they hadn’t heard from me, or seen many pictures of their child having fun doing camp things. Without a clear signal, or a strong connection, it’s hard to stay connected.

Jesus was perfectly in contact with His Heavenly Father while He was on earth. Jesus was perfectly in tune with who God was and what He wanted Jesus to do. In John 5:16-30, Jesus says that He only does what He sees His Father doing, and that He can do nothing apart from God. As we’re called to follow Jesus, and continue His work of serving others, calling them to repentance and pointing them to God, we need to follow Jesus’ example of being connected to God. Without this connection it will be hard to know what we’re to do, and how we’re to do it. Come out this Sunday evening as we look at how we can keep this connection strong.

Pastor Mike

18/05/2016
Living In the Kingdom/Living Out the Kingdom: Bringing Wholeness

We live in a throw away culture. If something’s broken, we pitch it and get a new one. Very rarely will we take the time, effort and money to fix something because it simply isn’t cost effective. A few years ago the battery on our portable phone died and so we looked into getting a replacement battery — the battery alone cost more than it would to buy a whole new phone! We live in a crazy generation!

Even people can sometimes be seen as too far gone, too broken, too much work, not worth the effort. I thank God that He doesn’t view us this way! That even when we were His enemies Jesus came to rescue us, and Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice for us while we were still sinners, completely opposed to Him! Just take a look at Romans 5:1-11.

On Sunday we’re going to be looking at John 5:1-14 — the healing at the pool. Jesus saves us not because we earn it, or deserve it, but because of His great love for us. However, we still need to respond, and there is a warning in this passage about failing to respond. There’s much contained in these few verses and we’ll only be able to scratch the surface!

11/05/2016
Living In the Kingdom/Living Out the Kingdom: Acceptance and Grace

As Christians we are called to go to all areas of the world to share about Jesus, but that doesn’t mean that we always have to go far. In fact, very few people are called to far, to the ends of the earth. Most Christians are called to stay where they are, be a blessing where they are, and share Christ where they are. And this can prove to be more difficult than going overseas as a missionary because here everyone knows who you are. They know your past, your family, perhaps even how you’ve messed up before. They’ve seen you around, and now you’re called to bless them in the name of Jesus.

But it doesn’t have to be difficult. Many times all it takes to become a blessing and be given an opportunity to share is to simply be open to a conversation. Greet people. Smile. Hold the door open. Keep your head up as you walk, and say hi! Think big, but start small.

On Sunday we’re going to be looking at John 4, the story of Jesus meeting with the Samaritan woman. Through a conversation a whole town hears about God’s kingdom and is changed forever. It’s simple. It’s profound. It’s what we’re called to do.

01/05/2016
Living In the Kingdom/Living Out the Kingdom: New Life

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul tells the people that as followers of Jesus they are to “take off” their old habits and ways of doing things, and instead “put on” their new self which is created to be like God (read all of Ephesians 4 to get the whole picture). I think too often we try to fit God into our life instead of the other way around. We add “Christian” things to our weekly routine, or change the radio station or what we watch on TV, but we retain much of the same attitude that we had before. And so what we are left with is a person who is divided, who is trying to live in two different kingdoms. Jesus called people like this “white-washed tombs” among other things (read Matthew 23).

Jesus says that we are to be born again. We are to be made new, a new creation in Him (2 Cor 5:17). This does mean that outwardly we will act differently than before we knew and followed Christ, but it also means that inwardly we will think differently as well. This is what Jesus was teaching Nicodemus in John 3:1-21, and it is what we’ll be looking at this Sunday. I hope that you’ll be able to join us.

20/04/2016
Living In the Kingdom/Living Out the Kingdom: Honouring God

Every person likely has something special that they hold dear. It might be a picture of a loved one, a family heirloom that’s been passed down from generation to generation, or perhaps something that reminds them of a special memory. Whatever it might be, if that item were broken or went missing there would likely be a sense of loss and profound sadness. The connection to the past, or a special person, would be damaged.

In John 2:13-25, we read of Jesus’ actions towards the money changers and those selling animals in the temple courtyard. His response is strong and direct, and makes it very clear how He feels about the temple, the place where all people were supposed to be able to worship and celebrate God. Jesus had a perfect connection with His heavenly Father, and He knew how the actions of those in the market place offended Him.

On Sunday we’re going to look at this passage and hopefully see how Jesus’ response in the temple should also be our response when it comes to issues that bring offence to God and His name.

April 13, 2016

15/04/2016
Living In the Kingdom/Living Out the Kingdom: Joy!

I came across a great quote that sums up well what it means to follow Jesus. It is a bit wordy, so you may want to read it out loud to yourself a few times! “As a disciple of Jesus I am with him, by choice and by grace, learning from him how to live in the kingdom of God. . . . I am learning from Jesus to live my life as he would live my life if he were I. I am not necessarily learning to do everything he did, but I am learning how to do everything I do in the manner that he did all that he did. . . . I need to be able to lead my life as he would lead it if he were I.” (Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy, p. 283-4).

We have just finished our look at The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ explanation of what it means to live in the Kingdom. Now we’re going to see what a Kingdom life lived out looks like, and what better way to look at a Kingdom life than to look at the life of Jesus. For the next few months we’re going to look at the gospel of John, learning about attributes of a Kingdom life, and how we are to live today.

This Sunday we’ll begin our journey looking at John 2:1-11, Jesus’ first recorded miracle. The life of a follower of Jesus is meant to be one punctuated by joy. We are to be a people who celebrate and rejoice! Come out this Sunday and celebrate with us the new life we have through Him.

April 6, 2016

06/04/2016