WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.740 Good morning everyone. Good morning. How are we all? Good? Excellent. Welcome people in the balcony. 00:00:09.620 --> 00:00:18.460 It's, um, this morning we're thinking about in our series about being in Christ and we're thinking 00:00:18.460 --> 00:00:26.699 about forgiveness in Christ. And I'd like to introduce you to my gran. My gran was an amazing 00:00:26.699 --> 00:00:35.420 character. Um, she was a larger than life character and she smoked woodbines. If you remember those, 00:00:35.519 --> 00:00:41.600 I hope for our younger people, you never will enjoy, but these were unfiltered woodbines. 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:50.399 And as she smoked, I was enthralled as a five-year-old watching her as she cooked with a 00:00:50.399 --> 00:01:00.259 woodbine. And the ash would get longer and longer and longer until it dropped into the food. 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:07.340 And it all got stirred in. Now this wouldn't have been so bad if she was catering for herself, 00:01:07.340 --> 00:01:20.359 but she was a landlady of a pub. And whenever, I mean, she was a great die in the wall, Wesleyan, 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:26.580 hat wearing Wesleyan. And I won't tell you about the time I dropped my pocket money down the toilet 00:01:26.580 --> 00:01:35.620 either. She rescued it and then carried on doing the sandwiches. Anyway, but anyway, her line was, 00:01:35.620 --> 00:01:44.820 her line was, whenever she heard of anything, she would put her hands on her hips saying, 00:01:45.460 --> 00:01:52.180 well, your sins will find you out. That was her line. Your sins will find you out. Now I didn't 00:01:52.180 --> 00:01:58.719 realize until later in life that it is actually from Numbers 32, 23, you know, to have scripture 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:03.860 quoted to you when you were five, it's really great. Um, but if you have sinned against the Lord, 00:02:03.859 --> 00:02:10.479 be sure because your sin will find you out, it says. Yet Jesus again and again, as we have heard 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:20.560 this morning, again and again, as here to forgive our sins, forgiveness in Christ. And as we heard 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:28.479 again in our scripture, um, as we read that Jesus was always forgiving sin. You know, is it easier to 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:35.799 say you are forgiven or to pick up your mat and walk, as he said to the, um, to a person that he was 00:02:35.799 --> 00:02:41.739 healing? And as we continue in this series this morning, we look in this area of being forgiven in 00:02:41.739 --> 00:02:49.099 Christ for us. And what does that mean? And what does it, for those that we are reaching to know God's 00:02:49.099 --> 00:02:55.759 forgiveness? You know, how does our theme fit with our scripture this morning, being forgiven in Christ? 00:02:55.759 --> 00:03:03.179 Paul and Timothy are writing this to an early church, an early church that are encouraging them 00:03:03.179 --> 00:03:12.039 in their prayer and in the way to act as Jesus showed us. You know, we always thank God the Father, 00:03:12.239 --> 00:03:18.680 our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you. What an encouraging message. Wouldn't that be great if that 00:03:18.680 --> 00:03:25.599 dropped into our email on a Monday morning? You know, they continue because we have heard of your 00:03:25.599 --> 00:03:32.479 faith, your faith, your faith in Jesus Christ and of the love you have for all God's people. That's a great 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:38.919 endorsement from Paul. If the Colossians had a website, I'd put that right at the top with a five-star rating. 00:03:39.479 --> 00:03:47.759 Wouldn't that be great to say something about that church? But what's behind this intensity of prayer? 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:58.679 Why are they praying like this? Because Paul and Timothy know all too well in this new community of 00:03:58.679 --> 00:04:08.519 believers in Jesus that they are vulnerable and that they are open to temptation, exactly as we all are. 00:04:09.539 --> 00:04:16.920 This is as fresh today as the day it was given. If I were to say to you, bring to mind now areas of 00:04:16.920 --> 00:04:26.020 your life where you have sinned, my guess is whatever those things are, they would spring readily to 00:04:26.020 --> 00:04:34.340 mind. I'll just give you a fraction of a moment to think about those areas in your life where we have 00:04:34.340 --> 00:04:42.000 sinned. Didn't take long, did it? Certainly for me personally, I mean, I guess if we were to bring 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:48.480 those to mind where we have sinned, they would, for me personally, I mean, it's a bit of a tsunami really, 00:04:49.379 --> 00:04:56.660 because it's amazing how we can remember things from way back where we have made mistakes. 00:04:57.620 --> 00:05:05.240 You know, maybe even in our childhood, maybe being disrespectful to a parent as a teenager, 00:05:05.240 --> 00:05:12.840 maybe doing things in our early life of which you are ashamed or even later. You know, we know as 00:05:12.840 --> 00:05:21.620 disciples of Christ and as Christians that we are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. It's a stock 00:05:21.620 --> 00:05:28.579 line that comes out in liturgy. We repent of all our sins and that's absolutely right. So why, 00:05:28.579 --> 00:05:32.339 why, oh why, oh why, oh why, don't we forget them? 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:40.359 This is the thing that I've been grappling with with this scripture. We know as disciples of Jesus 00:05:40.359 --> 00:05:47.860 that he forgives. He says, as far as the east is from the west, so far have I removed our transgressions 00:05:47.860 --> 00:05:52.779 from you, your transgressions. They are gone. But why is it that we remember them? 00:05:52.779 --> 00:06:03.339 The empty cross is that defining reminder that our sins are forgiven. So why is it, 00:06:03.500 --> 00:06:08.679 when I asked the question earlier of our past sin, that it all came so readily to mind? 00:06:10.759 --> 00:06:14.639 Why haven't we just forgotten and moved on as though it never happened? 00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:24.919 I'm forgiven and I'm restored. Paul is encouraging this early church that has heard the gospel for the 00:06:24.919 --> 00:06:32.219 first time and imagine that, hearing this gospel of renewal and redemption and of new life for the 00:06:32.219 --> 00:06:38.060 first time. And they have experienced, as many of us will have experienced, that new life in Christ 00:06:38.060 --> 00:06:43.879 of what that can bring, of being born again. You know, giving thanks, you know, the faith and love 00:06:43.879 --> 00:06:49.939 that springs from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard 00:06:49.939 --> 00:07:01.939 in the true message of the gospel has come to you. This is for you and for me. The gospel is bearing 00:07:01.939 --> 00:07:07.540 fruit and growing throughout the world, as it has been doing amongst you since the day you heard it 00:07:07.540 --> 00:07:15.180 and truly understood it. This new faith-filled community. These people have found new life, 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:25.660 fresh hope in God's amazing grace, set free from sin. What a great feeling that is, 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:31.320 that we know and that we experience. And as I pondered on the scripture, I thought, 00:07:31.319 --> 00:07:37.099 wouldn't it be amazing if all those past sins we have committed, those things that come to mind, 00:07:37.459 --> 00:07:48.159 just blew away, never to be remembered again. Would that be a good thing or wouldn't it? 00:07:50.219 --> 00:07:58.139 As disciples, as apprentices of Jesus, we get that God forgives us and he has forgiven us. 00:07:58.139 --> 00:08:04.919 And we get the cross and all that Jesus did for us, but we struggle often to forgive ourselves. 00:08:07.379 --> 00:08:17.219 Do you find that? We struggle to forgive ourselves. We can't let go of those things that often punish us 00:08:17.219 --> 00:08:25.860 in the remembering and pause on that because I'm going to suggest to you this morning that's not bad news. 00:08:28.139 --> 00:08:36.199 The truth of the matter is, as a disciple of Jesus, we seek to live and work with the Lord in his love. 00:08:36.679 --> 00:08:44.399 And when we truly repent, and I pray that we do, we are genuinely forgiven by God, 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:51.379 by his amazing and his redeeming grace. And by seeking to live by the gospel, 00:08:51.379 --> 00:09:00.259 by the good news of Jesus Christ, you and I will be more aware of sin than those who don't believe 00:09:00.259 --> 00:09:07.519 in the power and cross of the resurrection. Because we know what we have been forgiven of, 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:15.240 we have a greater awareness of the grace that is in our lives and the grace that we can share with other 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:24.139 people. Why? Because as Christians, we have a new nature. This is what we're told. The Lord has done an 00:09:24.139 --> 00:09:31.879 amazing work in yours and my life. We are not just forgiven, he has declared righteousness over us. 00:09:33.240 --> 00:09:40.879 Over us and in us, we are in Christ. His spirit has taken up residence in our lives, 00:09:40.879 --> 00:09:47.580 in our hearts, in our minds, in the way in which we deal with other people. He died for our sins and 00:09:47.580 --> 00:09:55.879 therefore, being in Christ, our sensitivity to sin and sinning will be more heightened than it's ever 00:09:55.879 --> 00:10:03.379 been in your entire life. Because you will know the price that has been paid to set you free. 00:10:03.379 --> 00:10:15.980 Why? We know that cost. We know the price of sin. We know what it was. And we know Jesus and all that 00:10:15.980 --> 00:10:24.059 he has done for us. Those who are not in Christ often don't experience that heightened awareness of sin 00:10:24.059 --> 00:10:36.619 that we do. It's okay. That's life. The devil made me do it. No. Some who have not yet or yet to know Christ 00:10:36.619 --> 00:10:45.679 don't feel the weight and the pain of sin that we do. Because we feel that. We feel that for other 00:10:45.679 --> 00:10:52.779 people. We want to, as we've just said, we want to know God's saving love to rescue you from that 00:10:52.779 --> 00:11:00.959 and bring you back into a place of love and redemption and forgiveness and that new dignity 00:11:00.959 --> 00:11:07.879 that he has for each and every one of us to live in. Some who have yet to know Christ don't feel that 00:11:07.879 --> 00:11:14.339 weight. The reality of a disciple life is we know that cost for the sins of the world, for others. We 00:11:14.339 --> 00:11:21.980 look at this world and our community to those that say there is no God and we feel that pain for them. 00:11:22.779 --> 00:11:30.980 In their sin and their rebellion against all that goodness that could be theirs. Because Christ is 00:11:30.980 --> 00:11:40.879 in us and we know it and it hurts us as much as it hurts him because he is in us and we are in him. 00:11:42.120 --> 00:11:51.679 When we are in Christ, when we are in Christ, we know that awareness and we feel it deeply. And many of you 00:11:51.679 --> 00:12:00.259 will feel that as we do for those that we pray for day in and day out alongside us. They just need to know 00:12:00.259 --> 00:12:07.379 that they are forgiven just to repent and come back to God and have this new beginning. That's why Paul 00:12:07.379 --> 00:12:15.000 writes, you know, for this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. 00:12:15.000 --> 00:12:23.559 Paul knew his sin. My goodness, if there was anybody that knew what it was like to have a change in life, 00:12:23.799 --> 00:12:31.340 it was Paul. And Paul knew that. He knew the passion that grew in him because he had been in that place 00:12:31.340 --> 00:12:38.779 as many of us have had to be. And we know that love of God when we are rescued and we are made new. 00:12:38.779 --> 00:12:45.559 Paul knew his sin. And as we grow older and hopefully wiser in our discipleship, 00:12:45.839 --> 00:12:51.220 we know the danger signs that leads to sin because we have a heightened awareness in our own lives. 00:12:51.740 --> 00:12:58.899 Righteousness has sadly been misinterpreted by many Christian communities. You know, followers of Jesus 00:12:58.899 --> 00:13:06.299 who set themselves up above others and stand in judgment. That's not righteousness. Maybe we have 00:13:06.299 --> 00:13:13.000 known Christians who are like that. Yet righteousness is an attitude that flows from and belongs to God 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:21.099 and is manifest in his laws. It is acting and living in according to his ways, free from guilt and shame. 00:13:23.179 --> 00:13:27.179 Being free from guilt and shame. 00:13:27.179 --> 00:13:37.439 That's why we love Jesus. Because we encounter that righteousness in us and through us. 00:13:38.219 --> 00:13:44.979 The more we love him, the more we love others. We want to walk in his ways. We want to share that with others. 00:13:45.719 --> 00:13:52.539 We want to live his risen life. We become more like him. And the more we become like him, the more we see 00:13:52.539 --> 00:13:58.299 and acknowledge the things that separate us from him. And it hurts. 00:13:59.259 --> 00:14:04.419 If your soul is hurting for the community in which we live, praise God. 00:14:05.459 --> 00:14:09.679 Because it will stir us into action and into love. 00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:15.419 And when people say you can't forgive yourself, that's true because we are already forgiven. 00:14:15.419 --> 00:14:22.519 We are forgiven. When we repent, what you are doing is effectively reminding yourself, 00:14:22.740 --> 00:14:29.439 not of the sin and of the shame and the guilt of your sin, but the infinite and loving goodness 00:14:29.439 --> 00:14:34.500 of God's righteousness in taking you from that place to a new place in him. 00:14:34.919 --> 00:14:38.399 Restored, forgiven, ransomed and loved. 00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:43.159 Hallelujah. My sins are gone. I've been set free. 00:14:43.159 --> 00:14:45.240 Amen. Amen. Amen. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:47.679 We are forgiven. 00:14:49.299 --> 00:14:58.039 Reminded me of my sin reminds me of the amazing, saving grace of God in my life and in others. 00:14:59.279 --> 00:15:02.839 And that's at the heart of that great hymn penned by John Newton. 00:15:03.500 --> 00:15:08.659 Saved, forgiven, yet as a slave ship master, he hadn't forgotten his sin, 00:15:08.659 --> 00:15:12.199 but he knows the amazing grace of God in his life. 00:15:13.159 --> 00:15:18.079 So if those sinful things that come to mind earlier when I asked, 00:15:18.939 --> 00:15:26.500 give thanks that you are free and you are forgiven and you are standing in relationship with Jesus. 00:15:27.399 --> 00:15:29.819 You are a new creation. 00:15:29.820 --> 00:15:34.760 Yes, the evil one will try and twist it. 00:15:34.820 --> 00:15:35.640 He always does. 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:37.100 That's his job. 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:38.800 Oh, do you remember that? 00:15:38.900 --> 00:15:41.160 Do you remember what you did on your way? 00:15:41.940 --> 00:15:42.879 I am new. 00:15:43.060 --> 00:15:43.820 I am restored. 00:15:44.040 --> 00:15:45.400 I am forgiven in Christ. 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:47.960 You know, 00:15:49.240 --> 00:15:49.820 Buzzy Man, 00:15:49.820 --> 00:15:52.600 In Christ we have been given a new dignity, 00:15:53.060 --> 00:15:53.840 a new life, 00:15:54.060 --> 00:15:57.400 a life that isn't defined by who we are in ourselves, 00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:00.379 but who he is in us, 00:16:00.740 --> 00:16:03.120 living in us and through us. 00:16:05.620 --> 00:16:07.100 In that worship song, 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:09.240 we stand spotless before the throne. 00:16:09.340 --> 00:16:10.300 I love that idea. 00:16:10.600 --> 00:16:12.420 We are made that new. 00:16:12.419 --> 00:16:15.059 Will you take that message to somebody this week? 00:16:16.740 --> 00:16:22.299 Will you take that message this week out into wherever we are, 00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:24.519 that you are known and loved by God, 00:16:24.839 --> 00:16:26.699 and that there is the cross, 00:16:26.779 --> 00:16:32.360 which has been a rescue package for you individually to come and know Jesus. 00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:36.360 So as I finish, 00:16:36.500 --> 00:16:38.120 I've got something to share with you, 00:16:38.259 --> 00:16:39.419 and it's from a dog poo bin. 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:43.360 It's, 00:16:43.560 --> 00:16:45.159 being a conscientious dog owner, 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:47.159 I pick up after my dog 00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:50.860 and look for dog poo bins in which to deposit the said deposit. 00:16:52.940 --> 00:16:54.180 At Lee Woods in Bristol, 00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:59.240 Mandy saw this message that had been very artistically and beautifully sprayed 00:16:59.240 --> 00:17:00.620 onto a dog poo bin. 00:17:00.620 --> 00:17:03.940 This was the actual image. 00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:06.980 Let Jesus change your story. 00:17:08.579 --> 00:17:10.220 And as I thought about this morning, 00:17:10.539 --> 00:17:10.880 I thought, 00:17:11.220 --> 00:17:13.079 what great news to be forgiven 00:17:13.079 --> 00:17:16.599 and let Jesus change your story. 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:19.119 Whatever your story was, 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:21.099 that you were bound in sin and shame, 00:17:21.339 --> 00:17:24.500 let Jesus come in this forgiveness and infinite love 00:17:24.500 --> 00:17:26.180 and let him change your story. 00:17:26.660 --> 00:17:28.839 Now maybe that was message just for dog owners. 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:30.000 I don't think it was. 00:17:30.619 --> 00:17:33.779 Let's go out and share that good news this week. 00:17:34.179 --> 00:17:36.500 Let's invite people to meet with Jesus 00:17:36.500 --> 00:17:41.279 and bring them back and to restore them into that perfect image that we know 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:43.299 and that love that is there for us. 00:17:43.659 --> 00:17:48.119 I have a desire as we pray and move towards thy kingdom come in Pentecost, 00:17:48.399 --> 00:17:50.299 that as we pray for five people, 00:17:50.639 --> 00:17:52.219 let's share that message with them, 00:17:52.539 --> 00:17:55.119 the fullness of Christ as we approach. 00:17:55.119 --> 00:18:04.159 We pray Jesus come into our lives in the power of your Holy Spirit and make your story their story. 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:08.180 Make your story, Lord, their story. 00:18:08.840 --> 00:18:12.660 Maybe that bold and courageous offer as we pray for others, 00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:14.519 maybe just those words. 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:19.779 I'm praying with you because I'd love Jesus to change your story, 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:21.879 whatever that is, 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:25.819 to set you free from whatever is binding you, 00:18:26.059 --> 00:18:27.119 your guilt, your shame, 00:18:27.220 --> 00:18:31.019 to recall the sin with a perspective of thanks that he has saved you, 00:18:31.139 --> 00:18:32.019 to be free. 00:18:32.019 --> 00:18:35.539 Let Jesus change your story. 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:36.920 Why? 00:18:37.700 --> 00:18:38.779 Why do you want to do that? 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:40.879 Because we love and we care 00:18:40.879 --> 00:18:45.220 and we don't want to see lives dragged into the depths of despair, 00:18:45.339 --> 00:18:46.119 of guilt and shame. 00:18:46.440 --> 00:18:48.740 We know because God has seen us. 00:18:48.900 --> 00:18:50.599 We see your sin. 00:18:50.940 --> 00:18:53.639 Our heart cries out because we are in Christ. 00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:57.319 Let Jesus change your story. 00:18:57.319 --> 00:19:05.279 I think this is a message that comes through in Paul's writing in the early church 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:09.460 because he knew what that change of story looked like in his own life 00:19:09.460 --> 00:19:11.679 and he wanted it for everybody else. 00:19:11.859 --> 00:19:14.119 The same as each one of us here this morning 00:19:14.119 --> 00:19:18.179 and listening on our podcast would want that for friends that we know. 00:19:18.939 --> 00:19:22.259 In today's message that came first to the Colossians, 00:19:22.659 --> 00:19:25.839 maybe it is for the Clevedonians too. 00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:31.599 That message to the Clevedonians that we know and that we love in our community. 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:35.399 Let Jesus change your story for him. 00:19:36.679 --> 00:19:40.899 That word earlier, the greatest thing you can do is love me. 00:19:41.859 --> 00:19:45.159 We come to that point with joyful thanks to the Father. 00:19:46.879 --> 00:19:50.299 To share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light 00:19:50.299 --> 00:19:53.759 for he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness 00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:56.539 and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves 00:19:56.539 --> 00:20:02.900 in whom we have redemption and we have the forgiveness of sin. 00:20:03.019 --> 00:20:06.680 Is there any question starting soon where people can come? 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:12.640 If you're in need of that reassurance of forgiveness in new life now, 00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:17.279 if you need that, there's going to be people at the back to pray for you. 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:21.420 There'll be people there to pray with you 00:20:21.420 --> 00:20:24.620 and maybe your prayer this morning may be giving thanks 00:20:24.620 --> 00:20:26.160 as one who has found righteousness 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:29.200 and the awesome forgiveness of God 00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:31.759 for what we have been forgiven 00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:34.160 and that new status that we have. 00:20:34.300 --> 00:20:34.519 Amen. 00:20:36.019 --> 00:20:38.460 And you long to share that with others 00:20:38.460 --> 00:20:40.440 who have yet to experience that freedom. 00:20:40.840 --> 00:20:45.820 Come and receive that new sense of energy, boldness and courage 00:20:45.819 --> 00:20:50.200 to share and proclaim that message of freedom 00:20:50.200 --> 00:20:52.579 in the name of Jesus. 00:20:57.519 --> 00:21:00.439 Just since this morning when I was walking up the hill 00:21:00.439 --> 00:21:06.200 that many here would have a real heart for young people in our community. 00:21:07.919 --> 00:21:09.559 Maybe you share my heart. 00:21:09.559 --> 00:21:15.079 Maybe this is the day that you leave 00:21:15.079 --> 00:21:20.559 and think, okay Lord, show me how I can make a difference with that. 00:21:21.220 --> 00:21:23.740 We've got lots of opportunities here in Christchurch 00:21:23.740 --> 00:21:26.220 for you to work alongside our youth team 00:21:26.220 --> 00:21:29.559 to reach a whole community of young people 00:21:29.559 --> 00:21:30.599 and we're doing that. 00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:35.579 Maybe you want to be part of that as well 00:21:35.579 --> 00:21:41.699 so that we too can make sure that we share and change their story. 00:21:41.699 --> 00:21:41.759 Thank you.