WEBVTT 00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:07.600 Morning everyone. Morning. Should we pray? Let's pray. Holy Spirit would you come and 00:00:07.600 --> 00:00:14.480 would you open our ears and our hearts as we seek your guidance and your will in our lives. 00:00:15.740 --> 00:00:28.679 Amen. Amen. Where do you go for guidance? I thought maybe that great program with phoning 00:00:28.679 --> 00:00:36.619 a friend. You know it's always good to phone a friend and just get that advice that we need. 00:00:37.320 --> 00:00:42.000 The thing is there's always so many people that are out there at the moment who want to give you 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:47.659 advice. Look at your internet browser. They want to give you advice on what to buy, what your diet is, 00:00:48.120 --> 00:00:54.579 what you wear, what you do, where you spend your holidays, where to buy a car, where not to buy a 00:00:54.579 --> 00:01:04.500 car. So much people want to maybe how our lives in guidance has, where is it that we've been shaped 00:01:04.500 --> 00:01:14.819 for good as we seek the Lord. Maybe we've received advice from our parents on money, on faith. 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:21.140 Sometimes it's just good to get that advice and of course we all know, don't we, that we look 00:01:21.140 --> 00:01:32.060 for guidance from our esteemed politicians who always tell us the truth. How quickly a week changes 00:01:32.060 --> 00:01:42.960 in politics, doesn't it? You know, the thing is a parent was so encouraged by her child. She had this 00:01:42.960 --> 00:01:50.599 talk about how the child should seek guidance and as she put the child to bed she listened carefully at 00:01:50.599 --> 00:01:58.179 the door as her child prayed and said, thank you that you're always there. Thank you that you are 00:01:58.179 --> 00:02:06.500 there in my time of need. Thank you that you're always there 24-7 to give me guidance and reassurance 00:02:06.500 --> 00:02:16.019 when I need. Thank you that you have all the answers. Thank you, Google. The thing is, is where do we go 00:02:16.020 --> 00:02:25.520 for our guidance? You know, that's what is our first port of call? Every disciple should say, or I hope they 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:36.600 would say, Jesus, the Bible, Holy Spirit, the Counselor, constant prayer and also seeking wisdom, seeking wisdom 00:02:36.599 --> 00:02:46.680 from a good and trusted Christian friend, who a good and Christian friend will tell you the truth in love 00:02:46.680 --> 00:02:52.280 and probably give you the guidance that you need and probably not the guidance that you are going to 00:02:52.280 --> 00:03:01.620 take from elsewhere. It's, last week Susie talked on our theme about time and gifts, you know, and where do we 00:03:01.620 --> 00:03:11.000 seek advice and guidance on that as to how to use our God-given gifts in the harvest field that he has 00:03:11.000 --> 00:03:17.740 given us to reach? Because we've been called to reach a whole generation, to bring people into relationship 00:03:17.740 --> 00:03:26.420 with Jesus. How do we seek guidance for that? And, you know, don't tell me it's your diary, because if your 00:03:26.419 --> 00:03:33.579 diary is anything like my diary is the last person place to look, because it gets filled up with stuff. 00:03:34.579 --> 00:03:42.799 And when our diary gets filled up with stuff, suddenly the issue of guidance and seeking God of 00:03:42.799 --> 00:03:50.000 what we do with our time and how we use our gifts seems to diminish and go out the window. You know, 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:59.039 often it's filled up with my preferences, not God's purposes, and I need to fill that afresh maybe 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:06.900 as we seek guidance on what to do and how to do it. You know, it's so often our guidance is obscured 00:04:06.900 --> 00:04:14.879 maybe by what has gone before as well. You know, maybe we had made bad decisions in the past, maybe we 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:24.360 hadn't made, taken the best advice that there was there. And maybe that's influenced the way we make 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:30.680 decisions now. Because the interest with that is maybe the bad guidance, maybe we heard it from 00:04:30.680 --> 00:04:38.139 ourselves and we were given conflicting guidance and we were left asking the big question, who do I trust? 00:04:38.139 --> 00:04:47.500 And that's a big thing as we think about guidance today. Who do I trust? Who do I really trust in 00:04:47.500 --> 00:04:55.659 to give me the guidance not only for my life, but our life as a church, as we reach the community God's 00:04:55.659 --> 00:05:02.120 called us to reach? I sense the trust is at the heart of accepting and acting on guidance. Financial advisors 00:05:02.120 --> 00:05:09.819 will always say to you, what would you like to do? Would you like high risk, medium risk, or low risk 00:05:09.819 --> 00:05:18.500 with your investments? And quite rightly would tell us, therefore, that the caveat is that anything that 00:05:18.500 --> 00:05:26.860 we invest can actually go down rather than up. You know, it's good advice to take. But who do I trust 00:05:26.860 --> 00:05:35.100 with God in the promise, knowing that when I invest in God, there is only one way and it can go well and up? 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:42.460 The thing is, sometimes we could be marred in our guidance by the things that the world teaches us. And in 00:05:42.460 --> 00:05:50.420 our reading this morning, we've got a clear signpost from Jesus is to good guidance. Ask, seek, and knock. 00:05:50.420 --> 00:06:01.860 Ask, seek, and knock. Where do I need guidance? Jesus encourages us to ask. Do we ask enough? 00:06:03.160 --> 00:06:09.660 Do we ask? You know, where do I need guidance in my life? Where has the storms of life blown me off 00:06:09.660 --> 00:06:18.920 course? Where has it blown me away from my regular and connection with church and with Jesus? And I use 00:06:18.920 --> 00:06:26.480 it that way around, particularly this morning as we regather as a church. Because somewhere in this 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:35.259 great thing called church, there are holes missing of people who need to return. And maybe God needs to 00:06:35.259 --> 00:06:41.000 seek their guidance. They need to seek God's guidance to say, where do I need, use my gifts and skills? 00:06:41.300 --> 00:06:47.400 Maybe everything isn't going to be perfect. If you find a perfect church, you are the only person in it. 00:06:47.399 --> 00:06:57.739 I promise you. But where can I find you again, Lord, in this mess or in this questioning that I find 00:06:57.739 --> 00:07:04.919 myself? Why have others found other paths other than gathering? You know, we aren't doing God a 00:07:04.919 --> 00:07:12.019 favour by being here. If we think we are, we're here for the wrong reasons. Because we're here to receive 00:07:12.019 --> 00:07:19.719 everything that he has for us. He's joyous that we are here. But we're here to worship and receive. 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:24.740 As Russ said a few weeks back, you know, you don't take your car into the garage just to pay for them 00:07:24.740 --> 00:07:34.039 to polish it. If you do, you're very posh. But again, you know, return it. I don't want my car returned as it 00:07:34.040 --> 00:07:40.819 was when I take it into the garage. I want it to be returned, to be serviced, to be repaired, to be 00:07:40.819 --> 00:07:48.500 fixed up, to be ready for the journey, to travel for the week. You know, in our offer course this week, 00:07:48.700 --> 00:07:54.140 Jackie sends the letter R. And Jackie just shared that with us on the day. You know, that was amazing. 00:07:54.139 --> 00:08:02.360 And reconnecting, reconnecting with our faith. Lord, give me guidance where I can reconnect with my faith, 00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:10.939 with my church community, with my church family. Receiving. Lord, show me how I receive afresh 00:08:10.939 --> 00:08:20.099 something of your Holy Spirit that you have for me to guide, comfort, transform and engage. Lord, I trust you. 00:08:20.100 --> 00:08:28.180 I rely on you in my decision making. You know, where is the right track, Lord? When I have doubts, 00:08:28.520 --> 00:08:35.460 when I'm likely to be blown off course, when the rudder of my boat of life seems to go missing, 00:08:36.500 --> 00:08:45.460 Lord, show me the right track. Give me the right guidance that I need it. Lord, show me the bad stuff 00:08:45.460 --> 00:08:51.840 that's going on in my life. Help me to recognise the bad stuff. The bad stuff that's saying in my head, 00:08:52.360 --> 00:08:58.060 I don't need to do that. Oh, that was, I don't know, you've got nothing to offer. Or, I don't like 00:08:58.060 --> 00:09:04.620 the way things are done. But rather than get back in and influencing and be the change. Relationships, 00:09:04.980 --> 00:09:11.920 you know, new and for healing of relationships. Lord, give me guidance on that. Give me guidance on 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:18.120 new relationships that you're asking me to have. And also give me guidance, Lord, on the relationships 00:09:18.120 --> 00:09:24.299 you want me to heal. And how can I be that? And how can I be that presence in other people's healing 00:09:24.299 --> 00:09:30.959 relationships as well? And renewed strength. Lord, give me renewed strength. Where did that spark go? 00:09:32.579 --> 00:09:41.039 But where was that spark of faith that I had? Where was that zeal for you? And where did I lose it? 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:47.659 Somewhere along the way. Lord, restore that for me. Ask. Lord, give me guidance on this. 00:09:48.699 --> 00:09:57.699 And I don't know about you, how good are you at asking for guidance? You know, I'm a bloke, 00:09:57.839 --> 00:10:03.719 you know, I'm so glad sat-mouse came in, because I don't have to stop and ask people. Because blokes 00:10:03.719 --> 00:10:10.079 don't, do we? Oh, we'll try down this. We'll keep going. You know, ask. How would you do about 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:16.360 asking? Lord, help me maybe ask in our parenting? You know, and that's not just for young children. 00:10:16.580 --> 00:10:22.400 You know, if you've got grown-up kids, you will know that prayer too with grown-up children as well. 00:10:22.780 --> 00:10:27.920 I can see people nodding their heads. It often gets more complex. It certainly gets more expensive. 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:37.259 But often it's about giving and sharing. You know, Lord, ask, what do I do? I'm making a will. What do I do with that? 00:10:37.620 --> 00:10:44.819 Show me the best way to use what I have to give and encourage the next generation that's coming through. 00:10:44.820 --> 00:10:54.520 But often, then there is seek. Seek and you will find. My goodness, you know, have I sought advice in my life? 00:10:55.640 --> 00:11:02.160 You know, really sought harder on a maybe particular, maybe you have as well. Maybe you're doing that today. 00:11:03.260 --> 00:11:10.940 Maybe it's today, Lord, I am seeking. Will you show me, please? Will you show me what is next? 00:11:10.940 --> 00:11:20.080 What I'm asking for. Show me a way. When we came together all those years ago as a church, we sweated over the vision 00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:28.280 for this church because we wanted to get it right. We wanted to seek what the Lord wanted for this. 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:33.760 I would say the vision for this church is as fresh as the day that it was given all those years ago. 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:42.080 You know, it's Proverbs 29 says, where there is no vision, the people perish. 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:47.159 I'm sure you've seen that as well as I have in various different settings. 00:11:48.500 --> 00:11:53.340 We sought the Lord for his vision for Christchurch at the heart of this community. 00:11:53.819 --> 00:11:58.879 A teacher said last week, she talked about links between church and the school. 00:11:58.879 --> 00:12:04.820 She is not yet a Christian, but she said Christchurch is a beacon in this community. 00:12:08.100 --> 00:12:17.399 Before we built, we sought some guidance and the Lord said to be one in Christ, to grow more disciples, to serve the community. 00:12:18.779 --> 00:12:21.019 Praise God, that hasn't changed. 00:12:21.019 --> 00:12:24.720 Also, the vision said, how would we achieve this? 00:12:25.019 --> 00:12:30.460 We would build, we would seek the power of the Holy Spirit to build us up as God's people. 00:12:30.860 --> 00:12:41.960 We would grow and we would share worship and teaching to nurture and learn for all faiths and all ages, to build faith in all ages. 00:12:43.019 --> 00:12:44.559 And also, we would reach out. 00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:50.759 We would share, and there's that word again, share our faith and demonstrate God's love in the community. 00:12:51.980 --> 00:12:54.000 Seek the Lord where he may be found. 00:12:54.539 --> 00:12:56.899 He who seeks will find. 00:12:57.939 --> 00:13:06.240 As we finished on for this week, there are those who invested their time, maybe two, three, three hours a week in your diary. 00:13:07.399 --> 00:13:09.319 You know, it's not a lot. 00:13:10.319 --> 00:13:14.720 Sort the Lord and ask the questions, Lord, why did you die? 00:13:15.860 --> 00:13:17.019 How can I pray? 00:13:17.480 --> 00:13:19.220 What should I do with the rest of my life? 00:13:19.220 --> 00:13:26.440 Often I find Christians are actively, sadly, given up seeking. 00:13:27.680 --> 00:13:31.860 Seeking, seeking, seeking what the Lord wants in their life. 00:13:31.860 --> 00:13:41.740 You know, the Bible is so full of God's story, of our story, of him, of intervening, of people breaking in. 00:13:41.740 --> 00:13:49.460 I was reminded this week, if you do Lectio 365, there's a story of Paul at Damascus. 00:13:50.159 --> 00:13:52.639 We all get the Damascus Road experience, don't we? 00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:54.899 Paul wasn't that great. 00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:56.240 Wasn't that fantastic? 00:13:56.600 --> 00:14:02.759 Paul taken from persecuting Christians to that moment when suddenly there is this huge change. 00:14:02.759 --> 00:14:04.799 Who was praying for Paul? 00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:08.159 That's what I asked myself. 00:14:08.939 --> 00:14:11.439 Who was praying for Paul? 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:19.180 And then the Lord led on, who are the Pauls in my life who I want to see come to Christ? 00:14:19.660 --> 00:14:25.240 Who are actively seeking in some ways, or I am seeking, to bring them back. 00:14:26.500 --> 00:14:29.700 You know, we saw the prayer answered that day. 00:14:29.700 --> 00:14:33.460 But mission begins at the very heart of God. 00:14:33.560 --> 00:14:35.580 It can never be secondary importance. 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:44.080 Neither can mission be something that I do for him, unless it is something I do with him. 00:14:46.259 --> 00:14:47.820 I don't want to do mission. 00:14:48.100 --> 00:14:49.780 I want to do mission with Jesus. 00:14:52.840 --> 00:14:54.720 Knock, and the door will be open. 00:14:55.900 --> 00:14:58.080 There's this great picture by Holman Hunt. 00:14:59.700 --> 00:15:01.060 It's in St. Paul's Cathedral. 00:15:01.480 --> 00:15:02.940 It's most people know it. 00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:05.259 And the thing is, knock. 00:15:05.900 --> 00:15:10.100 And I just sensed this morning, as we were thinking about guidance, 00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:14.160 for the number of people that maybe have been knocking, 00:15:14.840 --> 00:15:18.280 but has Jesus been knocking at the door of our lives? 00:15:19.020 --> 00:15:22.259 And in what areas where he wants to give us guidance? 00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:28.200 And the thing about this picture is, is if you look deeply into it, 00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:29.780 it's all covered with ivy. 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:31.340 It hasn't been open for a little while. 00:15:32.740 --> 00:15:34.759 And there's no handle on the outside. 00:15:35.300 --> 00:15:37.900 The only handle, I guess, is on the inside. 00:15:38.680 --> 00:15:40.080 Because we open the door. 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:44.160 I suppose my question this morning is, 00:15:44.360 --> 00:15:49.040 maybe some of us have stopped knocking. 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:53.399 But Jesus is still waiting there outside the door. 00:15:54.599 --> 00:15:57.899 All it needs is just to open maybe a little bit. 00:15:58.959 --> 00:16:02.240 Maybe for others this morning, it'll be opening even wider. 00:16:02.699 --> 00:16:05.480 And saying, Lord, I'm really seeking guidance on this. 00:16:05.719 --> 00:16:06.919 Would you come in more and more? 00:16:07.240 --> 00:16:10.019 Maybe for some, it'll be flinging the door open and saying, 00:16:10.199 --> 00:16:11.559 just give me all you've got. 00:16:11.559 --> 00:16:15.699 Because I really know that guidance this morning in my life. 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:20.000 Whether it's little, whether it's medium, whether it's large. 00:16:21.539 --> 00:16:25.479 And dare I say, the things that have stopped us maybe, 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:30.839 Google, as big as it is, can point you to advice and to guide you. 00:16:31.699 --> 00:16:33.859 But it didn't die on the cross for you. 00:16:35.379 --> 00:16:38.739 Google didn't know you before you were born. 00:16:38.740 --> 00:16:43.139 Google doesn't intercede at the right hand of the Father. 00:16:43.899 --> 00:16:46.139 Google won't be there to welcome you home. 00:16:46.519 --> 00:16:49.480 Google won't be there as you stand there on that day. 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:52.480 Knock if you are seeking and ask. 00:16:55.580 --> 00:17:00.200 How much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask? 00:17:02.060 --> 00:17:03.980 Seeking God's guidance is pivotal. 00:17:04.680 --> 00:17:05.559 It's essential. 00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:09.179 It's why we are called as the body of Christ. 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:12.539 Ask, seek and knock. 00:17:13.899 --> 00:17:18.559 How much more will your Father give good gifts to those who ask? 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:18.659 Thank you. 00:17:18.659 --> 00:17:18.679 Thank you. 00:17:18.679 --> 00:17:18.720 Thank you.