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Big Jesus wins award for the ‘Best Community Entry’ in the parade.
We had a unique perspective on Jesus, His fame and renown. If the crowds were silenced even the stones would have cried out to Him. This must be what it was like for Jesus to enter Jerusalem, re-enacted for the benefit of his LGBT people…What does this say for us and for Him?
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Jorge’s Coffee Club
Friday’s 5pm @ ‘Peek A Booze’ Dickson Road Blackpool
Friday 28th January we will go Ten Pin Bowling after a shorter Coffee Club.
This social event will be at MFA Bowl on Market Street @ 6.30pm
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Extract from Jim’s Preach ‘United in Christ’
Full notes: Preaching – Liberty Church Blackpool
Romans 8: 31 – 39
If God is for us, who can be against us?
For God who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The Genesis story of Adam and Eve tells us that humanity was created to enjoy a close harmonious relationship with God. The story tells us that God had warned Adam that the fruit was poisonous eating it would kill him. The parabolic story is of the trusting relationship between humanity and God and that bond being broken.
Once the trusting relationship was gone, humanity was estranged and separated from God. Life became a hard struggle, full of pain and hard labour and ending in death.
But deep down many people still longed for that closeness with God that we were originally created to have.
Through the ages individuals have searched for God and called out to Him. Different people have experienced that bond of fellowship and companionship with God. Different people have trusted God again.
God wanted more. He hated the pain of divorce from humanity. He set into motion events that would permanently keep the bond between Himself and Humanity. God would become human Himself in His Son. His Son would free humanity from separation from Him, even death.
Jesus took the consequences of it all. Jesus triumphed over death, over sin, over disbelief.
God’s perfect plan of a divine exchange was fulfilled in Jesus.
Jesus gave His life in exchange for humanity’s death.
Jesus gave His righteousness in exchange for humanities unrighteousness.
Jesus gave His trust and faith in exchange for humanities unbelief….
His harmony and closeness with God in exchange for humanities separation and estrangement.
All that humanity had to do was trust God just as it was in the beginning.
Working hard to make things right with God was over.
Jesus had made things right with God forever.
All that was needed was trusting that was true, humanity could rest in that.
We can ALL rest in that.
When Jesus cried out “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” He experienced the horror of separation from the Father for the first time. You cannot be more separated than by death. But death was overcome. Jesus rose from the grave to destroy its power.
Jesus ascended back to heaven to be at God’s side. He had taken the full effect of the rift between God and humanity. Now the relationship could be restored for all that trusted the Lord with all their heart.
Jesus had brought about righteousness for all who respond to God with trust; Jesus brought about the freedom to walk with God, with absolute trust in God’s faithfulness.
Our behaviour, our wrongdoing, our sins can no longer separate us from God.
If they could then Jesus died for nothing.
If our obedience is the key to our relationship with God, then Jesus died for nothing.
If we are seen as unworthy in anyway, then Jesus died for nothing.
If any lifestyle can put a gulf between us and God, then Jesus died for nothing.
Because of that Divine Exchange, Jesus has given us His holiness and righteousness, we are blameless in God’s sight.
Jesus Himself promised “I will never leave you.” Never, ever! Separation is now impossible.
Jesus is our guarantee, our inheritance, our great reward. Jesus is the pathway, the highway, the gateway and doorway to heaven; and all that heaven has to offer.
Jesus is our righteousness and our holiness our purity and our innocence.
Jesus is our rest and our peace, He is our shelter and our stronghold
Jesus is our friend and our freedom, our brother and our Saviour. Jesus is our King and our Lord for ever. Separation from Him is now impossible. He made sure that is so.
Also see Preaching
Also see Teaching
To Contact Us:
Email:nina (at) libertychurchblackpool.org.uk
Tel/Txt: 07 9555 97771
Postal Address:
Liberty Church Blackpool,
86 High Street
Blackpool
FY1 2DW