WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.560 Good morning everyone. Morning, morning, morning, morning, morning. I get the easy scripture 00:00:07.560 --> 00:00:15.679 this week. If you were here last week, I don't, unlike Russ, have to talk about men's anatomy 00:00:15.679 --> 00:00:21.519 and the laying on of hands. If you missed that one, I'm sure you're all going to dash 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:27.560 home and download it onto your podcast now and catch up and think, my goodness, what 00:00:27.559 --> 00:00:35.399 was all that about. Nevertheless, it's challenging. The scripture this morning is challenging and 00:00:35.399 --> 00:00:42.719 it's challenging in many ways because it doesn't encourage us at all to have an easy life. 00:00:43.159 --> 00:00:52.480 Because here we have this morning this story that we're told of Peter being challenged to 00:00:52.479 --> 00:00:58.719 go and do something which is quite effective in the power of the Holy Spirit. Some may 00:00:58.719 --> 00:01:03.679 say that it's part of growing older and wiser. I don't know whether that applied to Peter 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:09.219 because the more and more you read about Peter, he was quite a sort of let's go do it sort of 00:01:09.219 --> 00:01:15.299 guy. But here he has, he's got this wisdom and wisdom is I hope that in this service and 00:01:15.299 --> 00:01:23.920 in this series we are discovering more and more the wisdom of what God is asking of us to go and do 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:33.159 and to be. Because Peter has arrived in Jerusalem and in our reading it's already leaked out about this 00:01:33.159 --> 00:01:42.780 thing that he actually goes and eats with sinners. He actually eats with people who effectively the food 00:01:42.780 --> 00:01:53.460 is unclean. He is eating with Gentiles. And here is critics of a dream and he shares again that dream 00:01:53.460 --> 00:01:58.519 that he was showed by God just before we get to the reading that we've had this morning about this 00:01:58.519 --> 00:02:06.620 ability to go out and share and to be with other people. Effectively, William Barclay comments that Luke 00:02:06.620 --> 00:02:14.340 was right that we realised how Christianity so very nearly just became an offshoot of Judaism 00:02:14.340 --> 00:02:21.620 instead of being Christianity in its own right. And so the fact is here we've got this reading where 00:02:21.620 --> 00:02:30.080 Peter comes and there is these people that come to him and said why don't we go and do this? We've had 00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:36.500 this revelation we need you to come. Bear in mind the context. Disciples are being dragged away, they're 00:02:36.500 --> 00:02:44.800 being crucified, they're being killed, they're being tortured. In your wisdom strangers come to you and say 00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:51.500 oh by the way do you mind coming to this person's house? Because they'd like you to hear your mind would 00:02:51.500 --> 00:02:58.280 go wild wouldn't it? You think what's behind this request? But here we have the essence of this story 00:02:58.280 --> 00:03:03.699 that the early Christians are moving in the power of the Holy Spirit but what they're doing is they 00:03:03.699 --> 00:03:12.439 are joining in with what God is already doing. I want you to hold on to that this morning. The fact of 00:03:12.439 --> 00:03:22.020 joining in with what God is already doing. We can look around at our neighbours, we can go on prayer 00:03:22.020 --> 00:03:30.580 walks, we can do all sorts of things. The essence is whatever we do we look in to what God is already 00:03:30.580 --> 00:03:40.640 doing. John Wimber said you've seen my ministry, now show me yours. It's about joining in with what we 00:03:40.640 --> 00:03:48.100 see God is at work already and that's the wisdom of it. That God has already gone before us to do that, 00:03:48.099 --> 00:03:55.299 to actually join in with his purposes of where he already is. So often as Christians we try don't we, 00:03:55.500 --> 00:04:02.780 we create posters, we create lots of literature, we create lots of paper for people to come to know 00:04:02.780 --> 00:04:10.919 Jesus but actually it has very little effect. The effect is is for us as Christians in the power of 00:04:10.919 --> 00:04:15.919 the Holy Spirit to have the Holy Spirit to have the courage and wisdom to join in with what God is 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:24.439 already doing in people's lives. I sometimes wonder if we're blind to the work of God and as to what's 00:04:24.439 --> 00:04:32.740 happening all around us right here and now in the everyday and the wisdom of seeing that and thinking 00:04:32.740 --> 00:04:39.800 yes Lord I see you at work. This is where our reading was this morning. He was being called to these 00:04:39.800 --> 00:04:46.240 people who were actually asking, asking, asking, saying send for this, send for this person because 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:49.420 I know it's going to make a difference in my life. 00:04:54.220 --> 00:05:03.400 Perhaps we're all thinking of that God's work is rare, that maybe we don't see God at work, that we have 00:05:03.399 --> 00:05:09.539 got to go and do it rather than actually, I think there was somewhere in the Bible wasn't it where 00:05:09.539 --> 00:05:18.439 Jesus said follow me? Yeah, follow me. Where did we get that so wrong that we felt that we had to go 00:05:18.439 --> 00:05:24.199 out and do stuff and then wait for Jesus to come and join in with what we're doing? Actually it's follow 00:05:24.199 --> 00:05:34.599 me, I'm there already. All you have to do is come and join in. All Peter has to do is to respond to the 00:05:34.599 --> 00:05:44.240 leading of the Holy Spirit. You may be aware of a national phenomenon that is happening and 00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:52.300 many of you might have been part of this. We're going to get some slides up here in a minute. 00:05:56.519 --> 00:05:59.160 If I give you a clue before it comes up. 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:07.000 Thank you so much. 00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:12.439 If you're listening on the podcast, there's a whole congregation looking at me now 00:06:12.439 --> 00:06:15.259 thinking, oh yes, there's Wally. 00:06:17.620 --> 00:06:21.360 We're going to get some slides up on the screen in a minute for us. 00:06:22.699 --> 00:06:25.220 That's a minor technical issue that's coming up. 00:06:25.740 --> 00:06:31.500 You see, somebody came up with the idea of drawing, of having this book, 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:35.720 and many of you have seen that, of where actually you have this whole picture 00:06:35.720 --> 00:06:39.459 and you're supposed to find out where Wally is. 00:06:39.459 --> 00:06:47.139 You spend all this time looking through, finding out where this person is and what he is doing 00:06:47.139 --> 00:06:52.779 and how he is doing it. I don't know, I've had one of these. I go on for ages. I'm looking through. 00:06:53.019 --> 00:06:56.259 I spend ages trying to find out where Wally is. 00:06:57.120 --> 00:07:01.919 And this whole thing of joining in with what Jesus wants us to do, 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:04.300 that so often we struggle, don't we? 00:07:05.060 --> 00:07:08.600 We struggle to find out where Jesus is at work. 00:07:09.340 --> 00:07:13.680 We ask, we pray, we look, we discern, 00:07:14.439 --> 00:07:18.700 and yet so often we come away despondent because we think, 00:07:18.960 --> 00:07:22.280 well, why are we looking? Are we looking in the wrong place, Lord? 00:07:22.300 --> 00:07:23.520 Are you not using me? 00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:26.819 How are we doing with that? 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:29.379 Are we okay? 00:07:31.620 --> 00:07:32.419 We're going. 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:37.839 The thing is, I think we'll leave that, shall we? 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:40.199 That's great. Fine. 00:07:40.899 --> 00:07:45.259 The thing is, is that in this national phenomenon that works, 00:07:45.719 --> 00:07:48.199 all of a sudden everybody was looking for Wally. 00:07:48.199 --> 00:07:53.599 But, if you're like me, if you've been in Bristol on a Saturday night, 00:07:53.899 --> 00:07:57.620 you will realise that there are lots of people who want to dress like Wally. 00:07:59.000 --> 00:08:02.219 All of a sudden you find these people, they're grouping together. 00:08:02.959 --> 00:08:05.419 And all of a sudden you get three Wallys together. 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:10.120 Then all of a sudden you find out there's about eight in a pub. 00:08:11.399 --> 00:08:14.539 In fact, it's got to the point where people have gathered together 00:08:14.539 --> 00:08:16.379 in national convention centres. 00:08:16.379 --> 00:08:21.600 And it's difficult not to find a Wally in there 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:23.600 because they're all together. 00:08:24.740 --> 00:08:30.240 There was a guy who came up with this idea of finding Wally 00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:34.000 to write a book called Where Is Jesus? 00:08:35.139 --> 00:08:37.179 And he took the same idea. 00:08:37.879 --> 00:08:39.779 And you're supposed to look through these pages 00:08:39.779 --> 00:08:42.960 to find out where Jesus is. 00:08:44.519 --> 00:08:45.419 Doesn't work. 00:08:46.379 --> 00:08:49.899 Because the issue is, is Jesus is at work everywhere. 00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:52.659 You don't have to look. 00:08:53.539 --> 00:08:57.240 Jesus is there in amongst everybody who we meet, 00:08:57.620 --> 00:09:00.240 day in and day out, working. 00:09:00.500 --> 00:09:03.480 It's for us to have the wisdom to join in 00:09:03.480 --> 00:09:05.340 with what God is doing in their lives. 00:09:06.779 --> 00:09:10.240 And so often we search and look and seek to find. 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:15.899 But actually the issue is, is that if we were more open to the Holy Spirit, 00:09:16.580 --> 00:09:21.419 just as Peter was, that we would just go and respond. 00:09:22.180 --> 00:09:23.779 I love this bit in the thing. 00:09:23.860 --> 00:09:25.519 He just arrives there, doesn't he? 00:09:25.700 --> 00:09:28.560 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them. 00:09:28.899 --> 00:09:33.279 And as he had come on us at the beginning, it's no different. 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:37.759 All he had to do is go and respond to what God was asking of him. 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:40.120 And then I remembered that the Lord said, 00:09:40.259 --> 00:09:43.720 John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. 00:09:43.959 --> 00:09:49.220 So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:09:49.639 --> 00:09:53.579 who was I to think that I should stand in God's way? 00:09:53.580 --> 00:09:58.440 What am I doing to stand in God's way? 00:10:01.080 --> 00:10:06.100 What doesn't give us the courage to actually go and do and follow 00:10:06.100 --> 00:10:07.860 and join in with what he's doing? 00:10:09.080 --> 00:10:13.259 In the everyday, people that we meet, wherever we are, whatever we're doing. 00:10:13.340 --> 00:10:15.639 The question asked in the passages is, 00:10:15.639 --> 00:10:20.860 Lord, when was it that you saw me hungry or thirsty or a stranger 00:10:20.860 --> 00:10:24.919 or naked or sick or in prison and did not take care of you? 00:10:25.980 --> 00:10:28.100 Jesus is there in the everyday. 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:31.080 How do we respond? 00:10:35.820 --> 00:10:42.120 Every encounter, every day, every journey, everything we do. 00:10:42.120 --> 00:10:47.420 And as Peter says, who was I to think that I could stand in God's way? 00:10:47.419 --> 00:10:53.339 I just want you to just reflect over this last week of the people that we have met, 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:55.599 the conversations that we have had, 00:10:56.179 --> 00:10:59.139 the opportunities that would have been there, 00:10:59.719 --> 00:11:04.759 that we would have had to share in the wisdom that we're talking about, 00:11:05.319 --> 00:11:09.579 to speak in to a life to make a difference. 00:11:09.580 --> 00:11:17.680 It's a great story, the fact that the whole people have then received and come to faith. 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:26.180 It's a lady called Philippa who, 00:11:27.020 --> 00:11:29.420 it's great to hear sensational stories, isn't it, 00:11:29.420 --> 00:11:30.860 of how lives were changed. 00:11:31.259 --> 00:11:32.759 But there's a lady called Philippa 00:11:32.759 --> 00:11:37.060 who would describe herself probably just as an everyday person 00:11:37.059 --> 00:11:39.639 who had just lived out of Christian faith 00:11:39.639 --> 00:11:43.419 until actually somebody was bold enough 00:11:43.419 --> 00:11:46.219 to actually speak to her and engage. 00:11:46.479 --> 00:11:47.899 Could we have that clip, please? Thanks. 00:11:49.939 --> 00:11:50.919 It's done for me. 00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:52.539 What hasn't he done, maybe? 00:11:53.279 --> 00:11:54.559 No, I mean, it's wonderful. 00:11:54.559 --> 00:11:59.159 It completely changes your outlook on life. 00:12:00.199 --> 00:12:03.239 I mean, I wasn't an alcoholic or a drug addict. 00:12:03.439 --> 00:12:04.739 I was a respectable sinner. 00:12:04.740 --> 00:12:07.740 But even so, there was that missing element, 00:12:07.860 --> 00:12:08.820 the meaning of life. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:12.320 So it gave me a purpose and a meaning to life. 00:12:12.379 --> 00:12:13.720 And I realized after a while, 00:12:13.779 --> 00:12:16.639 that's what I'd been searching for all my life. 00:12:16.980 --> 00:12:18.700 But I just didn't know what it was. 00:12:18.779 --> 00:12:21.600 I was looking for happiness in other ways. 00:12:23.159 --> 00:12:25.820 Obviously, everybody has difficulties in life. 00:12:26.259 --> 00:12:28.060 And those things come up. 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:30.180 I think last year, 00:12:30.360 --> 00:12:32.399 I went through a very, very difficult year. 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:35.100 In May last year, my brother died. 00:12:35.199 --> 00:12:37.819 He had a stroke and didn't regain consciousness. 00:12:38.139 --> 00:12:41.220 So there was the shock of that to deal with as well. 00:12:42.199 --> 00:12:43.860 And then a couple of months later, 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:46.100 my husband went to be with the Lord. 00:12:46.659 --> 00:12:49.539 He was gloriously, wonderfully taken into heaven. 00:12:50.179 --> 00:12:52.620 And it was a really special time. 00:12:52.740 --> 00:12:54.120 There was great peace in our home 00:12:54.120 --> 00:12:55.819 and we were able to take care of him 00:12:55.819 --> 00:12:58.699 right through until he said he was ready to go. 00:12:58.700 --> 00:13:02.040 So it was a glorious passing. 00:13:02.300 --> 00:13:03.140 But then, of course, 00:13:03.940 --> 00:13:05.900 the reality of it sets in later. 00:13:06.660 --> 00:13:08.280 And then a couple of months after that, 00:13:08.420 --> 00:13:09.920 my son, who'd been living with us, 00:13:09.980 --> 00:13:10.940 went to live in America. 00:13:11.680 --> 00:13:15.320 So I had three enormous waves, really, 00:13:15.780 --> 00:13:16.780 is how it felt. 00:13:16.900 --> 00:13:18.940 It felt, here comes another big wave. 00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:21.940 Lord, you're going to have to help me get through this. 00:13:22.259 --> 00:13:23.080 And he did. 00:13:23.080 --> 00:13:25.340 Over each one, he did. 00:13:25.540 --> 00:13:27.100 He's always there. 00:13:28.020 --> 00:13:29.440 He's so close to us. 00:13:29.480 --> 00:13:31.120 As soon as we cry out to him, 00:13:31.740 --> 00:13:32.320 he's there. 00:13:34.980 --> 00:13:37.720 And all we have to do is join in 00:13:37.720 --> 00:13:39.320 with what he's already doing. 00:13:40.580 --> 00:13:42.340 That seems pretty easy to me. 00:13:43.580 --> 00:13:44.700 So what stops us? 00:13:44.700 --> 00:13:46.520 Thank you. 00:13:48.040 --> 00:13:48.580 . 00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:51.660 . 00:13:51.660 --> 00:13:54.460 . 00:13:54.460 --> 00:13:59.759 . 00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:04.379 . 00:14:04.379 --> 00:14:04.720 . 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:14.580 .