Over to you.
The scripture reading comes from the book of Matthew, chapter 13.
Please follow along on the bulletin or your own Bible.
Starting in verse 51, we read,
Have you understood all these things?
They said to him, Yes.
And he said to them,
Therefore, every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven
is like a master of a house
who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.
And when Jesus had finished these parables,
he went away from there.
And coming to his hometown,
he taught them in their synagogue
so that they were astonished and said,
Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?
Is not this the carpenter's son?
Is not his mother called Mary?
And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
And are not all his sisters with us?
Where then did this man get all these things?
And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them,
A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown
and in his own household.
And he did not do many mighty works there
because of their unbelief.
This is the word of God.
Great. Thank you, Karen.
Good morning.
Those of you who don't know me,
my name is Chris.
I'm one of the leaders here.
And we're going to be continuing our series
looking at Matthew this morning.
Kevin is away preaching at another church,
at Faith Community Church.
And one of the things we love to do as a church
is we believe we're not just here for ourselves in the city,
but actually God has placed us here to be a blessing
and encouragement to other churches as well.
So I'd love us to just close our eyes and pray
as we begin
and ask God to just bless our time
and bless that church as well.
So Father, I just want to thank you
that we get the privilege
of gathering together this morning,
of being in your presence this morning.
Lord, none of us have any merit,
any right to come before you,
and yet you have made a way for us to come to you.
Lord, I thank you that it's pure grace that we're here.
And so I pray, Lord,
that we would not take for granted
the privilege that it is to both be your children,
but also to be able to gather this morning.
Lord, I pray that you would speak to us
because you're so gracious
and you're so generous
and you love to speak to us.
I pray that you'd open our hearts to be good soil,
that we'd be a people who are chasing after you
and willing to sell everything,
that we might buy that pearl of great price
that we looked at last week.
And I pray the same, Father,
for Faith Community Church,
where Kevin's speaking this morning.
Lord, we pray that they would be a community as well,
which has you right at the center,
that your presence would be there,
that you would encourage them,
that you would build them up,
that you would grow them
and strengthen them as a light
in the southwest of Hong Kong.
Lord, we just pray that you would bless them.
And Father, we just ask you,
even as we go on a journey as a church
in seeking your heart
and seeking your will
and seeking your ways over this next while,
we pray even for the pastor search
as we're looking for someone to come
and take my position next year.
Father, I just pray that you would provide in that.
Lord, we pray for just this process,
that you would be at the center,
that even those people who have sent in their CVs,
Lord, you give us real discernment and wisdom in that.
But we pray as a church, Lord,
open our ears to hear your voice.
Let us be those who love you with all of our hearts.
We pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
So yeah, just as I prayed,
we're continuing the pastor search process.
So we'll be giving you some updates
over the next little while,
but we've had a few CVs sent in.
And so we just encourage you to really be praying
for the pastor search committee as well
in this process.
That would be great.
So we've been looking at the book of Matthew.
And before we get into our passage,
one of the things about me is that I used to be,
in a former life, I was an English teacher.
And so this morning, what I would like you to do
is to do a little bit of a pronunciation lesson with you
so that we just test your English this morning.
Okay, are you up for that?
I need a bit of participation here.
Okay, I'm going to put some words on the screen
and I want you to pronounce them correctly.
Okay?
So, can we have the first word?
No, not that one.
This one.
Wow, you guys are good.
Okay, next one.
Okay, you guys have really got this.
Okay, let's make it a little bit harder.
Okay, let's...
You're clearly above beginner standards.
So let's make it even harder.
You.
Oh, this is good.
Okay, so let's go for the next one.
So.
Huh.
What's going on with that?
Like most of you, I can tell,
have learned English quite well
that you've actually begun to expand
some of your categories.
But actually, isn't it bizarre
that actually we have these expectations
of how things should work, right?
We have these patterns that we live with,
as this example shows you.
Things that actually are shaped,
shape our lives
and shape our expectations in life, right?
As like these words shape our expectations,
and then sometimes life just throws you a curveball.
And as many of you,
you seem to be able to incorporate
that English curveball into your vocabulary,
which has actually enriched your language.
But what happens in our lives,
it's actually, it's not just language,
it's our culture, it's our families,
it's a whole load of expectations
that we live and we're shaped by media
and by peers,
and we live with these patterns in our lives,
with these expectations
of how we think life should work, don't we?
Not just language.
Every area of our lives.
And sooner or later,
God will come
and he'll throw a curveball into your life.
And at that moment,
things won't seem to make sense.
Things will seem to be disoriented.
And you go,
what's that all about?
But that is the moment,
and what you do with that moment
will shape the entire course of your life.
It will shape whether you go,
no, words ending in E-W,
they always pronounce ooh.
Or whether actually you're willing,
and you just kind of reject that kind of,
you just say sue,
that's what it is.
You know,
and you get taken to court.
But, you know,
the thing in our lives is
you either stick with everything that you know,
or you allow your categories to expand
and to get reshaped.
And you get a richer,
deeper,
more expansive view of life.
And that's what this passage is actually all about.
You see,
this passage is about one of those categories in our lives,
and it's the category of home.
Because home is supposed to be a place of safety.
It's supposed to be a place where you're known,
where you're loved,
where you're accepted,
where you're secure.
It's supposed to be a place where you can just sit down,
take your shoes off,
put your feet up,
and take off your masks,
take off your pretenses,
and feel totally safe.
With nothing to prove.
It's supposed to be a place
where you don't have to guess
how things are going to work.
Because you know.
But if you've grown up in one place
and gone away to another place,
you will know that sometimes
our expectations,
sorry,
so for example,
if you've left home to go to university
in another place,
and then you come home
to where your parents were,
do you know,
it's never quite the same thing
as it was before.
Right?
Anyone experience that?
Because you see,
they have not experienced
what you've experienced.
They've not seen
what you've experienced,
what you've seen.
And so,
their categories are still like this.
And often what they do
is try and fit you
into their expectations.
But you're different.
You're changed.
And sometimes that can create tension.
As many of us know.
But that's a little bit like
what's actually happening
in this passage today.
Because Jesus has been
this itinerant rabbi.
He's left home.
He's been an itinerant rabbi
preaching, teaching,
performing miracles
all over Israel.
And crowds have been flocking to him.
And he's been preaching
some of the parables
that we've looked at
over the last few weeks.
You know,
the parable of the sower,
the parable of the mustard seed,
the parable of the leaven,
the parable of the weeds
and the wheat,
the parable of the pearl
of great price
and the fish.
We've seen all of these
different power,
these parables.
And he's been talking
about the kingdom of God
and how it's upside down.
It's different
from what you think it is.
And now he is going
to experience
and embody
that very principle
of what he's been teaching.
Because he comes back
to his hometown of Nazareth,
which is a bit like
the Shemshu Po
or the Shemshu of Hong Kong.
It was a place
where people looked down
on it in many ways.
There was about
three to four hundred people
lived there.
It was a poor,
peasant town.
Nothing much going on.
But everyone knew
everyone in this town.
If you worked in the village,
you married in the village,
you died in the village.
And Jesus' family
was no different.
And everyone knew
Jesus' family.
You know,
his dad was in
the construction industry.
And Jesus would have done,
would have also followed suit
and been in the same business
as a carpenter.
And the thing is,
life worked
how it had always worked.
And then one day,
Jesus comes back home
and he goes
into the synagogue
where he'd always
grown up with,
where he looks around
and sees all the familiar faces
of all the aunties
and uncles
and the kids
that he'd played with
and everyone's grown up.
And everyone's proud
that their little Jesus
has come home
and he's got himself
a respectable job
as a rabbi.
And it's wonderful.
And Luke 4,
which is a parallel passage,
shows us
that actually
Jesus gets handed
the scroll of Isaiah
for him to read
as the rabbis
would always read.
And everyone's
waiting for this nice,
friendly message
that they can all
then go home
and get on with their lives
just as it had always been.
But this day,
Jesus opens the scroll.
He opens the scroll.
And it's at Isaiah 61.
And Isaiah 61
is all about a prophecy
of the Messiah,
of the great king,
the deliverer
who's going to come.
It says this,
The spirit of this Lord
is upon me
for he has anointed me
to proclaim good news
to the poor.
He sent me
to set the captives free.
He sent me
to open the eyes
of the blind.
He sent me
to be the deliverer
who brings
the year of the Lord's favor
into Israel.
this is the passage
that everyone
has been waiting
for this figure.
And Jesus
closes the scroll
and says,
This is all about me.
I'm fulfilling this
today in your presence.
I'm here.
And it says
they were astonished.
And in the Luke passage
it says
the words were gracious.
They heard something.
Jesus is now
blowing their categories
apart
of what they were
to expect in their life.
He's disrupting
the whole way
their operating
and thinking system
worked at that moment.
You know,
the same word
astonished
is actually used
at the end
of the Sermon
of the Mount
where it says
Jesus finished teaching
and the crowds
were astonished
because he taught
as one who had
authority
not as the scribes.
In other words
they're astonished
because they can see
something in Jesus.
They can see
Jesus is different
from every other
rabbi
who has ever
come and preached
in their synagogue.
They can see
that he has
a depth of wisdom
and understanding
and he's got
this power.
They've seen
they've heard
about the miracles
that he's been doing.
They know
he's got power
over sickness
power over demons
power over nature
itself
like no one else.
He's got this authority
and they can see
it.
They're astonished
by him.
But you know
being astonished
at Jesus
is not the same
as having faith
in Jesus.
You can be
astonished at him
you can be
amazed at him
you can be
impressed by him
but not put
your faith
in him.
Because right
at this moment
is a call
to faith
and faith
in Jesus
will always
confront
your categories.
It will always
turn upside down
the way you
think life
should work.
And it's a bit
like a jigsaw
puzzle which
you know
somebody's put
in the wrong
pieces
but they think
it looks fine.
Have you ever
had that?
I've seen
that someone
and they go
look it's great
and you're
going hey
it's all wrong.
And so he
will pick up
the pieces
put them
back in the
box
shuffle them
and then
put them
back together
and say
actually no
this is the
picture that
your life
is supposed
to be
and it's
far richer
far more
beautiful
than it
ever was
before
but you
cannot know
Jesus.
You cannot
walk by
faith
without his
kingdom
reordering
your little
kingdom.
Without
you stepping
off the
throne
and allowing
him to be
on the
throne of
your life
and that's
challenging.
And so
this
at this
moment
where Jesus
says this
is about
me
these
expectations
instead of
this hometown
welcoming
and saying
Jesus
yet we want
to follow
you
that's
amazing
they turn
around to him
and they say
who do you
think you
are?
They go
where did
this man
get this
wisdom
and mighty
works?
Isn't he
the carpenter's
son?
We know
his mom
we know
his brothers
and sisters
in fact
they live
next door
in fact
my little
Ricky
played with
him when
he was a
kid
who does
he think
he is
to try
and be
somebody
when we
know
what he
is.
You know
it's like
John 1
11
says this
it says
Jesus
came to
his own
but his
own
did not
receive him.
His own
is both
Nazareth
his hometown
but it's also
us as
humanity.
He came
we are
God's
creation
and Jesus
comes down
to us
he moves
into our
neighborhood
as we
will celebrate
at Christmas
time
by becoming
human
by becoming
flesh
and blood
just like
you and
me
who wears
nappies
and all
that other
stuff that
we go
through
and he
comes to
join us
in the
very
ordinariness
of our
existence
though he
is the
creator
God
himself
at that
very
miracle
which is
mind-blowing
of every
category
that very
mind-blowing
miracle
that he
could become
like us
can be
the very
blinder
that stops
us from
seeing
who he
really is
because you
see for
the people
of Nazareth
he's just
like them
they cannot
see that
God has
come into
their midst
for them
the one
who's got
supreme
authority
the king
of God's
kingdom
doesn't
wear
nappies
he doesn't
play with
our kids
he doesn't
make
Ikea
furniture
for the
Galilee
store
so even
though they
see his
glory
they see
some power
they see
something
different
and unique
about him
the barriers
in their
minds
their
expectations
prevent
them
from
accepting
him
and seeing
him
for who
he
truly
is
you know
we've seen
this actually
before
with the
Pharisees
you know
the Pharisees
it wasn't
his familiarity
that was the
issue
it was that
he didn't
play along
with their
agenda
do you
remember
they had
all these
system
of laws
and of
ways
of
righteousness
that they
thought would
bring in
God's
kingdom
and so
when Jesus
came in
and he ate
with tax
collectors
and sinners
it was like
a godly
person would
never do
that
you see
he's breaking
their categories
and so
they rejected
him
do you see
what it's
telling us
it's telling
us that
actually
the kingdom
of God
can be so
close
and so
present
to us
and yet
we can
miss it
by the
very
expectations
and habits
and behaviors
that we have
grown up
with
that we
don't
think
Jesus
should
act
or work
in a
way
that he
really
does
so
what
happens
they see
but they
don't
see
do you know
if you are
not a
Christian
Jesus
doesn't
want
Jesus
doesn't
want to
just add
you onto
your life
have a
little bit
of Jesus
here
kind of
make
your life
a little
better
he
actually
wants
to
totally
turn
upside
down
your
categories
so that
you see
he's the
one who
calls
the shots
and you
see
actually
his way
of living
life
is way
better
than
ours
that's
what
he
wants
to do
in
your
life
that's
what
he
wants
to
do
in
my
life
and
it's
scary
it's
scary
because
here
the
people
they
see
but
they
don't
see
they
hear
but
they
don't
hear
and
it
says
they
took
offense
at
him
you
know
that's
actually
a
Greek
word
which
is
the
word
scandalon
which
is
actually
where
we
get
scandal
from
it's
actually
a
word
which
means
like
an
obstacle
something
in
your
path
in
your
way
which
leads
you
to
take
the
wrong
path
leads
you
to
go
away
from
where
you
should
be
going
it's
a
bit
like
if
you
have
some
adventurer
who
gets
lost
in
the
jungle
and
then
suddenly
afterwards
they
come
out
of
the
jungle
and
they
see
this
path
over
to
where
they
know
they
should
go
but
in
between
there's
this
rope
bridge
and
they
go
no
matter
how
much
you
say
hey
it's
safe
a
thousand
people
have
been
over
it
listen
this
is
the
pathway
you
can
trust
it
with
your
life
they
go
I
don't
do
rope
bridges
like
that
doesn't
fit
my
expectations
of how
life
should
work
okay
let me
find
an
alternative
route
that I
can
go
around
and
what
happens
is
they
go
off
and
they
try
and
find
another
route
and
they
just
stay
lost
in
the
jungle
you
see
faith
in
Christ
is
a
call
to
actually
step
onto
the
bridge
and
realize
that
he's
stronger
and
safer
and
more
secure
than
you
ever
realize
he
is
and
the
tragedy
in
this
passage
is
that
Jesus
has
come
home
you
know
the
place
where
he
should
be
most
welcome
the
place
where
he
should
be
most
accepted
is
the
place
where
he's
most
resisted
and
Luke
tells
us
they
actually
try
and
throw
him
off
a
cliff
and
he
ends
up
quoting
his
hometown
and
in
his
own
household
he's
home
but
he's
not
at
home
because
people
are
not
willing
to
see
him
for
who
he
really
is
and
you
know
that's
heartbreaking
isn't
it
if
you're
and
some
of
you
have
experienced
that
actually
you've
experienced
actually
the
pain
of
rejection
at
home
you've
experienced
the
place
where
it
should
be
the
safest
but
can
be
the
greatest
pain
you
know
sometimes
sharing
the
gospel
in
your
household
is
actually
one
of
the
hardest
places
to
share
right
and
the
thing
is
Jesus
understands
that
if
no one
else
does
Jesus
gets
that
because
he's
experienced
it
and
he
understands
you
which
is
why
he
calls
to
us
to
have
faith
in
him
and
it
says
actually
there's
a
terrifying
statement
that
comes
right
at
the
end
of
this
he
says
he
did
not
do
many
mighty
works
there
because
of
their
unbelief
just
think
about
God
has
turned
up
at
your
doorstep
and
the
people
of
Nazareth
turn
him
away
because
he
isn't
dressed
right
he's
not
fitting
into
their
expectation
he's
not
coming
according
to
their
schedule
or
their
way
of
operating
and
that's
the
challenge
of
this
passage
the
challenge
is
that
if
we're
to
walk
by
faith
if
we're
to
see
Jesus
and
experience
his
power
in
our
lives
we
need
to
like
we
talked
about
last
week
with
the
pearl
of
great
price
be
willing
to
lay
aside
or
allow
him
our
preconceived
notions
the
cultural
and
family
even
some
of
our
religious
expectations
of
how
we
think
God
should
work
and
begin
to
surrender
those
to
him
and
trust
him
with
our
lives
and
to
step
on
to
that
bridge
because
Jesus
will
not
come
to
us
as
we
want
him
to
be
he'll
come
to
him
as
he
really
is
and
who
he
really
is
better
than
we
want
him
to
be
you
see
he's
the
God
of
power
and
authority
but
he's
also
humble
ordinary
and
suffering
and
the
question
is
will
we
welcome
him
as
who
he
really
is
and
what
he's
bringing
into
our
lives
and
let
him
be
Lord
or
do
we
leave
him
on
the
doorstep
that's
the
challenge
of
this
passage
that's
the
unwelcome
homecoming
that
he
faces
but
the
second
thing
is
that
question
to
trust
or
not
to
trust
that
is
the
question
you
see
let me
just
kind of
bring
this
down
a
little
bit
to
us
and
I
think
this
is
challenging
but
also
I
think
encouraging
because
if
we
think
what
are
some
of
the
barriers
what
are
some
of
the
things
which
actually
are
like
that
rope
bridge
in
our
life
or
those
obstacles
that
we
look
at
and
go
I'm
not
sure
whether
I
can
really
trust
you
I
want
to
give
you
a
couple
for
some
of
us
it's
because
we've
grown
up
here
we've
grown
up
in
our
families
we've
grown
up
with
just
the
cultural
ways
of
doing
stuff
we
live
according
to
the
wisdom
of
Hong
Kong
not
according
to
the
wisdom
of
Christ
some
of
us
we're
too
afraid
to
step
out
and
trust
God
whether
it's
with
our
finances
whether
it's
with
our
kids
whether
it's
with
our
relationships
whatever
area
of
your
life
we're
too
afraid
to
step
out
because
it
feels
uncertain
it
feels
scary
it
feels
uncomfortable
you
know
maybe
you
read
about
in
the
Bible
about
the
miracles
of
Jesus
and
you
see
dramatic
answers
of
prayer
in
scripture
and
you
go
but
that's
not
my
experience
and
so
I'm
just
going
to
stay
in
my
little
operating
system
kind
of
safe
the
way
I
know
how
to
do
things
kind
of
self
reliant
and
trusting
in
your
own
wisdom
you
know
I
was
speaking
at a
church
last
week
in
New Long
wonderful
church
and
after the
service
this guy
comes up
to me
and he
says
do you
know
the last
time you
came
God
really
spoke
to me
and I
was like
wow
that's
great
and he
said
every
Sunday
I'm
normally
super
stressed
because
Monday
morning
I have
to give
the sales
figures
to my
boss
and
sales
are doing
terribly
at the
moment
and he
says
so
actually
the way
everyone
does
things
in
the
company
and
around
me
and
what
I've
grown
up
with
is
we
just
kind
of
try
and
massage
the
figures
to make
them
look
better
than
they
really
are
because
you
know
like
no one
wants
to come
clean
about
the
real
deal
and so
he
says
I've
spent
hours
like
stressing
every
Sunday
I'm
trying
to
find
ways
to
make
these
figures
work
so
God
is
a
God
who
actually
brings
resurrection
out of
death
God
is
a
God
who
actually
brings
life
right
when
you
think
there
is
the
hardest
situations
and
he
said
I
was
so
convicted
I
got
on
my
knees
and
I
said
God
I
need
your
help
but
he
said
I
was
super
scared
but
I
went
to
my
boss
next
day
and
I
just
came
clean
about
the
figures
and
just
said
I
didn't
know
what
was
going
to
hit
me
he
said
a
couple
of
days
later
his
big
boss
calls
him
up
and
says
I
want
to
have
lunch
with
you
and
he
goes
no
and
so
he
comes
and
sits
down
and
has
lunch
and
he
asks
him
hey
what's
going
on
in
the
company
and
he
tells
him
and
instead
of
firing
him
he
says
hey
help
me
to
brainstorm
how
we
can
fix
this
and
he
says
and
I'm
going
to
give
you
a
pay
rise
and
he
went
out
of
that
meeting
going
God
you
like
I
never
thought
that
actually
trusting
you
with
just
this
thing
would
actually
mean
that
actually
you
are
better
than
I
think
you
are
I
didn't
realize
that
actually
you
had
the
power
to
turn
around
a
situation
when
I
thought
my
wisdom
was
the
way
things
should
work
and
you
know
what
he
said
I
have
so
much
peace
now
like
Sunday
morning
is a
joy
to
me
because
I've
seen
that
I
can
put
my
foot
on
that
rope
bridge
and
I
can
trust
God
because
he
is
faithful
and
he
said
it's
not
about
pay
rise
but
I
just
see
God's
faithfulness
so
I
think
as a
church
one
of the
things
that
is
really
hard
is
when
life
we're
competent
at
life
when
we're
good
at
doing
things
I'm
not
saying
we
should
all
be
bad
at
doing
things
but
when
you're
really
competent
things
when
you
can
be
successful
at
things
do
you
know
what
we
can
end
up
trusting
in
ourselves
and
this
passage
is
a
passage
which
is
telling
us
will
you
take
Jesus
for
who
he
is
not
according
to
your
expectations
of
how
you
want
him
to
work
which
means
when
is
the
last
time
you
felt
scared
doing
something
in
obedience
to
Christ
where
you're
going
God
if
you
don't
come
through
I
know
what's
going
to
happen
because
if
it's
a
long
time
then
maybe
you've
actually
just
been
not
stepping
on
the
rope
bridge
of
trusting
Christ
and
maybe
he's
going
to
call
you
in
an
area
to
trust
him
so
that
you
can
see
that
he
is
more
safe
more
good
greater
than
you
could
ever
have
imagined
because
he
says
they
did
not
do
many
mighty
works
because
of
their
unbelief
what
do
you
think
God
might
do
when
we
choose
to
step
out
in
faith
because
that's
the
place
where
we
will
experience
the
mighty
works
of
God
because
Jesus
is
good
that's
the
first
thing
of
how
our
expectations
the
way
we
run
can
blind
us
to
Christ
and
trusting
him
second
thing
is
some
of
us
it's
not
that
we
follow
the
wisdom
of
Hong
Kong
it's
actually
that
we
have
good
expectations
of
how
we
think
life
should
work
you
know
two
chapters
earlier
in
Matthew
there's
another
character
who also
has this
grid
of how
God
operates
there's
this
character
who has
this
grid
of how
God
should
operate
a grid
that's
actually
shaped
by him
reading
the
Bible
itself
reading
the
Old
Testament
expectations
of a
God
who's
going to
come
and
deliver
his
people
from
their
enemies
it's
John
the
Baptist
J
the
B
as
I
call
him
and
he's
a
good
guy
he's
a
faithful
guy
he's
a
godly
guy
and
like
the
people
of
Nazareth
he's
seen
Jesus
amazing
teaching
he's
seen
Jesus
amazing
miracles
and
he
said
this
is
the
guy
this
is
the
Messiah
I'm
going
to
trust
him
I'm
going
to
put
my
faith
in
him
this
guy
I
baptize
with
water
this
guy
is
going
to
baptize
you
with
the
Holy
Spirit
he's
the
real
deal
good
guy
fast
forward
he's
now
in
prison
on
death
row
about
to
be
executed
by the
Romans
and
Jesus
isn't
fitting
into
his
expectations
now
this
isn't
kind
of
how
it
was
supposed
to
work
he
was
supposed
to
deliver
us
all
and
we're
supposed
to
go
to
Jerusalem
have
a
great
party
I'm
not
supposed
to
be
in
prison
it's
not
supposed
to
work
like
this
is
it
you
know
your
grid
just
gets
disoriented
but
instead
of
rejecting
Jesus
like
the
Pharisees
and
the
people
of
Nazareth
instead
of
saying
no
way
that's
not
what
you
could
do
in
his
confusion
in
his
doubt
in
his
struggle
he
runs
to
Jesus
and
says
hey
Jesus
are
you
who
you
really
say
you
are
and
Jesus
do you
know
what
he
does
he
points
him
back
to
Isaiah
61
he
says
listen
see
what
I'm
doing
see
what
I'm
doing
can
you
put
the
verse
up
here
he
says
go
and
tell
John
what
you
hear
and
what
you
see
the
blind
receive
the
sight
the
deaf
hear
the
poor
have
good
news
preach
to
them
and
blessed
is
the
one
who
is
not
offended
scandalized
by
me
he
says
blessed
happy
is
the
one
who
doesn't
let
the
confusing
circumstances
which you
don't get
what's
going
on
lead
you
away
from
crossing
the
rope
bridge
and
trusting
me
but
let
it
lead
you
deeper
into
trusting
me
you
see
how many
of us
have
seen
God
do
extraordinary
things
in our
lives
you've
seen
answers
to
prayer
you've
seen
him
change
people's
lives
dramatically
I
have
I've
seen
healings
I've
seen
incredible
things
in people's
lives
even
in
water
mark
just
recently
I've
just
heard
story
after
story
of God
just
doing
mind
blowing
things
in people's
lives
and we
can see
the power
of Jesus
and then we
read some of the
promises of
scripture
promises which
say like
no good
thing will he
withhold from
those who
fear him
and we
hold on to
that because
that's a
true promise
but then you
look at your
circumstances
and you go
but he seems
to be withholding
a whole load of
good things
that I think
should happen
maybe it's
your kids
they're not
responding to
you or
they're not
coming to
Christ
and you
think hey
this is a
good thing
or maybe
it's
parents or
loved ones
just haven't
come to
faith and
you've
prayed for
year after
year
and you
go
God
what's
going on
maybe it's
areas of
sin in
your life
that you
still battle
with and
you struggle
with and
you think
God are
you really
powerful
I thought
you would
deliver me
from this
thing but
I don't
get it
maybe you're
single
and you know
you've been
faithful and
you've been
trusting Jesus
and you look
at everybody
else getting
married and
you feel
the loneliness
you feel
the hardship
of it
it's not a
walk in the
park
and you go
are you
really that
good Jesus
can I
really trust
you
and unbelief
wants to
come to
you and
say
don't cross
the rope
bridge
go another
path
because he's
going to
make life
hard for
you
but the
passage is
calling us
to and this
whole section
of Matthew
is calling
us to say
just as in
the parables
remember the
parable of the
wheat and the
weeds remember
the parable of
the mustard seed
and the leaven
that actually
the kingdom of
God works
in both power
but also in
hiddenness
and in
confusion
and in
areas where
you don't
get what's
going on
you know
it's what in
theological language
we call the
now and the
not yet
it's like
now
Jesus wants
to show us
in our fears
in our doubts
in our struggles
he wants to
show the real
power that he
has to change
our lives
he really
does
so I want us
to be praying
as a church
with a new
expectancy
that God
will do
things
as we
step out
in faith
as we
go and
share our
faith
as we
go and
step into
waters
where we
go
God
I don't
know
whether
this is
what's
going to
happen
but I'm
trusting
you
I think
we will
see God
come through
in amazing
ways
maybe it's
your finances
maybe it's
your work
but I think
he also wants
to show us
that actually
in the not
yet
and some
of us
are experiencing
that not
yet
right now
that Jesus
that let me
step back
that actually
when we
feel
that this
is our
home
and yet
it doesn't
feel like
home
when it
feels like
we don't
feel the
safety
we don't
feel the
security
we don't
feel the
acceptance
we don't
feel all
the things
that we
wish we
could feel
Jesus
says
this is
the moment
for you
to run
into me
and discover
that I
am where
your home
has always
been
because just
as John
the Baptist
ran to
Jesus
right at
the moment
of greatest
confusion
and greatest
struggle
when God
seems to
blow open
your categories
and you
don't get
what he's
doing
is the
moment
when he
actually
wants to
take you
into a
deeper
revelation
of who
he truly
is
that he's
bigger than
you thought
he was
that his
plans are
far
vaster
than you
could think
they are
that actually
he looks
over a
cosmic view
of life
not just
our little
narrow view
and actually
as you
enter in
and you
trust him
you'll discover
that Jesus
is more safe
is more the
place where you
can find
acceptance
approval
love
the place
of greater
security
you will find
that he is
home
and that
will also
make us
long
in those
moments
where we
don't have
what we
want now
for the
home
of when
he returns
and we
see him
face to
face
peace
I had
a conversation
a couple
of weeks
ago
with a
friend
in
Watermark
who's a
refugee
in Hong
Kong
he can't
go back
home now
because he's
become a
Christian
and if he
goes back
home his
family may
kill him
and here
in Hong
Kong he
can't work
he's stuck
and yet
as he's
been talking
about Jesus
with his
friends
some of his
friends have
distanced
themselves
from him
so he said
at times
I feel
incredibly
lonely
it's really
hard
I experienced
the not
yet
but then he
said to me
actually
when he
comes back
to God's
word
in those
moments
he comes
back to
God's
word
he comes
back to
remember
Christ
that Christ
has not
just been
away from
home for
him
but he is
away from
home
so that
he can
be with
us
in the
midst
of those
struggles
he discovers
a profound
peace
a profound
joy
a profound
hope
that you
cannot put
your finger
on unless
you say
that is the
work of
God in
my life
you see
Jesus has
traveled the
route for
us
he travels
this road
with us
so that
we might
really come
to see
that he
is better
than we
think he
is
he is
bigger
than we
think he
is
he is
more
loving
than we
can imagine
he is
and he
will work
our lives
through
in a way
that is
more glorious
than if we
trusted in
ourselves
that is
why in
the Lord's
prayer
do you
know what
we pray
your
kingdom
come
your
will
be done
we are
praying
God
come
home
bring us
home with
you
let that
be our
prayer
let's
pray
let me
just take a
minute to
think where
you are
with Jesus
I know we
do this
a lot
but this is
what Matthew
is calling
us to
of going
where am
I
have I
seen the
power of
God
am I
running to
God
maybe in
the confusing
circumstances
maybe in
the areas
where I'm
struggling
am I
running to
him or
running away
from him
what is
he calling
you to
can you
see that
actually who
he is
he's the
king with
all authority
and yet he's
the king
who will
come
to be
close to
us
will you
let him
what are
the expectations
what are the
things that
actually leave
you going
no way
Jesus
and will
you surrender
those to
him right
now
no matter
how scary
that feels
and see
that he is
a better
God
a better
plan
for us
ок
but
Father, thank you.
Father, that I know that we don't need to be able to understand everything of how to fix all our world.
But we need to know that you are the one who does.
I pray for us, Lord, that even right now, wherever we are, Lord, I pray that where there are areas which are choking our hearts,
where there are areas where we need to learn to step out of the boat.
We need to step out onto that rope bridge and go, God, I need to trust you in this area.
Lord, give us the courage.
And also give us just a sense of your love and your presence with us as we do that.
Even this week, maybe some of us actually need to share about an area of sin in our lives that we are so scared to share and what people will think.
But God is calling you to share that with a friend or with someone who is godly.
Maybe there are people you know you're supposed to be reaching out to.
Maybe there are people you're supposed to be forgiving.
Maybe there are people you're supposed to invite into your home, but you don't even want to go there.
And God is calling you to step out onto that bridge and trust him.
Lord, I pray that you give us the courage to do that.
Show us that you are better than our own ways of thinking.
And Lord, I pray for those of us who are struggling.
I pray that you come alongside us and show that you get us totally.
That you're with us right now.
And that we've been encouraged that you have already walked through this to the other side,
into resurrection glory.
And you're going to take us there too.
So strengthen us in our faith, I pray as a church.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
We're going to come and take communion now.
And communion is that time where we go,
God, I see areas in my life where I haven't trusted you.
Where I haven't put my hope in you.
But Father, I want to run back to you.
I want to receive again the incredible welcome that you give to me.
It's a place that if you are not a Christian or if you know that actually you keep turning away from that rope bridge and you're not even at a place of saying, yeah, I want to cross.
I say stay where you are.
And just pray to God.
And just be really real and honest with God where you are up to right now.
But for the rest of us, I encourage you as you go, God, I want you to change my life.
I want you to be the Lord of my life.
To come up and to take the elements and we'll go back to our seats and take them together.
But to do so with this sense that actually the ultimate place where Jesus was not at home was on the cross.
Because that's even the place where he said, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Home was with his father and yet he was rejected even there so that we might be accepted.
And so we come and receive the one who loves us more than we could imagine.
And enjoy coming home with him.
So take your time.
Respond as you need to.
And then come up and take the elements and then we'll take them together afterwards.