One of the hardest things about reading the Old Testament is seeing where it fits within history, and therefore understanding the references. So start by spending 15 minutes looking through the diagrams at the beginning of these studies and placing where Isaiah falls into Israel’s history.
This term we’re looking at Isaiah, and we’re going to break that up into 2 parts: 1-39 and 40-66. To get yourself familiar with Isaiah, and to read up on some background so you can discuss it at Community Groups, grab the background notes here.
All the talks, community group notes, and any other resources can be found at vc.org.au/isaiah.
Before I get to the exciting ways in which Gospel Change has shaped Village Church to this point, I want to explore how the Gospel speaks into the difficult question of change.
Over the past couple of years we’ve floated the idea of a morning service a number of times in a number of different forms. We considered a morning service in Kelvin Grove, Southbank, New Farm and most recently partnering with St Paul’s in Spring Hill. For various reasons these didn’t eventuate or we didn’t feel the time was right.
With some big upcoming changes, and where Village is at, the staff and elders have become convinced that the starting of a morning service in the near future is something that needs serious consideration. So we’re going to have an informal congregational meeting after church on 12 July to outline the proposal, answer your questions, then ask you to think and pray about it. We’ll get back together two weeks after that (26 July) to vote on whether we move forward.
The idea of a morning service is neither new nor radical, but because of other circumstances we’re looking to move quickly. To help you think it through, here’s the thinking of the leadership. If you’ve got other questions, feel free to email us, or come along to the meeting on 12 July.
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The final part of Moses’ sermon to the Israelites before they enter the land. A simple message: you need to choose – will you choose God and life, or not and death?
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Apart from the unfortunate incident with Ananias and Sapphira, and a few pieces of brutal persecution from the outside world, the early church community is often pictured as idyllic. Rapid growth, open acceptance, a communal lifestyle evidenced by dynamic Gospel focused times of gatherings.
Over the past couple of years Village Church has changed. It still has the same biblical mandate and focus that existed when we first started – to grow followers of Jesus in inner city Brisbane – and the same DNA that shapes how and why we do things. But Village has changed in size, in make–up, in what we run, who we run it for, how you might be engaged with it and probably a hundred other little ways only you might notice. Some of these changes you might rejoice in. Others you might not. But as with any question we face as Christians, the question worth considering is:
As Christians and a Christian community, how do we grapple with and understand change?
Having done the first half of Acts this year, I want to explore this question from Acts 10–11. What we’ll see is the challenges we’re experiencing, while hard, are nothing new. But the ultimate challenge (as seen in the early church) is working out how the Gospel transforms how we view and react to these changes.
There’s three parts to this discussion.
The first part was already published as a PDF, but if you haven’t read it, you can see it here.
What does a beautiful life look like?
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All of us are given the choice to follow God wholeheartedly. But how can we do that when our hearts are prone to disobedience? Because God himself promises to change our hearts.
For those meeting in Community Groups this week, here are the application questions for Study Three: The Choice we all Face.
God chooses to rescue his people not because they’re powerful, smart, talented, or good. But because he loves them.
1. Knowing that God already loves us despite our failures and successes, what sort of freedom does this give us? How does it change our expectations as Christians?
This kind of love that God has shamelessly lavished upon us is a non-returnable, undeserved, unearned love. It is blisteringly unconditional love.
2. How does this love make you feel? What does this kind of love make you want to do?
The problem with the Israelites is the same problem we ourselves have: hearts that don’t want to obey God. Which is why God tells them to ‘circumcise your hearts’. In other words, they, and we, are to opt for painful, permanent change. We are to do whatever it takes to make sure that we obey from this point on. And when we get to the New Testament, we see that this is in fact what Jesus does for us, because we cannot do it ourselves.
3. Read Colossians 2:9-12. Knowing we have everything we need in Christ, what do you think it would look like, for you personally, to live whole-heartedly for God? What’s one thing you could change in your lifestyle, routine, conduct, or speech that would be a step toward this goal?
Sunday Morning Meeting:
9:30am at F Block, QUT* Kelvin Grove Campus, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove QLD, 4059
Sunday Evening Meeting:
5:00pm at 43 St. Paul’s Terrace, Spring Hill, QLD 4000
Office & Mailing Address:
C1D, 8 Carraway Street, Kelvin Grove Village Centre, QLD 4059
ABN: 69391334959
Contact Us:
Email: info@vc.org.au Facebook: fb.me/tvcbrisbane YouTube: @VillageChurchBNE
*Village Church and their ministries are not affiliated with QUT.
© 2024 Village Church - Kelvin Grove.
