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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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What does the Bible say about heterosexuality?
It’s a curse! Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you Genesis 3:16.
It’s not good for you! It is good for a man not to have sexual relationships with a woman 1Corinthians 7-1.
It’s not going to happen in heaven! At the Resurrection people will not marry nor be given in marriage they will be like the angels in heaven Matthew 22 30.
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Extract from Jim’s Preach ‘The Grace Church’
Full Notes in Preaching
From Revelation 3:7-13
Write this to Philadelphia, to the Messenger of the church. The Holy, the True—David’s key in his hand, opening doors no one can lock, locking doors no one can open—speaks:
“I see what you’ve done. Now see what I’ve done. I’ve opened a door before you that no one can slam shut. You don’t have much strength, I know that; you used what you had to keep my Word. You didn’t deny me when times were rough…..
“Because you kept my Word in passionate patience, I will keep you safe in the time of testing that will be here soon, and all over the earth, every man, woman, and child put to the test……….
“I will make each conqueror a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, a permanent position of honour. Then I will write names on you, the pillars: I will write the Name of my God, the Name of God’s City—the new Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven—and my new Name.
He who has a listening ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
The apostle John, the writer of the book of Revelation, tells us in the first chapter that he was’ in the Spirit’. John’s vision is so intense that he felt he was in heaven itself and maybe he was. In his vision Jesus asking John to write letters to each of seven named churches. And he did.
Many think that these letters are not just to the churches mentioned but are also relevant to all churches in any given place and at any given time throughout history.
The first letter is to the church in Ephesus and it warned them, that though they began inspired by the Lord they finished up doing things according to their own strength, ideas and traditions and lost their focus on Jesus, their first love.
We can easily fall into the same trap. Without realising it we can put Christian practices and church tradition before the Lord’s leading.
It has always amazed me that people who have been rejected by various churches and have come to Liberty and found acceptance have still clung onto as ‘gospel truth’ all they were taught in the place of rejection. Such is the power of religion.
Another letter is to the church in Laodicea. The Spirit says they are lukewarm. The Christians in Laodicea had become like the Pharisees Jesus knew. The Pharisees taught obedience to the law, keep the rules. Do as we say, then it will be OK. Obey, obey, obey that was the rule of the day.
There religion taught: Confess, repent and try as hard as you can. God is merciful as long as you tried your hardest, and then if you fail you fall, you fall into His grace.
As we know cold is good for ice cream and keeping milk fresh. Hot is good for pies and Horlicks.
Hot and cold are total opposites. Lukewarm is neither one nor ‘t’other’.
Now scripture tells us that the law is good, just as cold is good; Scripture also tells us that grace is good, just as hot is good. They are both good. Grace is as opposite to the law as hot is to cold.
Pharisee and Christian alike who mix some law and some grace finish up lukewarm, that was the Lord’s charge against the church at Laodicea and churches like them.
The first church was Ephesus, the church that had lost their first love
The second church, Laodicea was the church that was lukewarm.
The 3rd Smyrna the church that had good news, but mixed it with false news.
The 4th Pergamum the church wrongly following leaders with false teachings and practices.
The 5th Thyatira had a false leader who had appealed to their psychological and emotional needs. The 6th Sardis the church that was dying and almost dead and no longer had the Spirit of life.
The 7th Philadelphia, (it means brother or sisterly love); the only church in which no fault was found.
To this church the Lord says and I paraphrase, ‘I have opened the door of opportunity and because I’ve opened it no one else can close it… you have remained faithful to the good news and upheld my name.
Philadelphia a church were no fault was found was a church of grace, spotless, pure, holy; a church that knew their humanity counted for nothing.
They could do no wrong because they didn’t do anything, it was all of God and what He would do as the perfect letter to Philadelphia emphasises these seven times.
For the Lord Jesus says in Revelation Chapter 3:
I will make them come and bow down at your feet (3:9)
I will make them know that I love you. (3:9) I will keep you from the hour of testing (3:10)
I will make you a pillar (3:12)
I will write on you the name of my God (3:12)
I will write on you the name of the city of my God (3:12)
I will write on you my new name (3:12)
Seven promises from the Lord Jesus that I believe every church of grace can claim as their own. There is good reason I lay claim and believe these promises are for Liberty. Philadelphia the grace church, was responding to the Spirit.
At Liberty we seek to follow the Lord of the book, not the book of the Lord. We seek to follow, not by abiding in what the Spirit wrote, but by living in the Spirit who wrote it. The Spirit who is the Spirit of grace and freedom.
To Contact Us:
Email:nina (at) libertychurchblackpool.org.uk
Tel/Txt: 07 9555 97771
Postal Address:
Liberty Church Blackpool,
9 Wilvere Court
Thornton Cleveleys FY5 1PG