Church of the poor - Jesus Army

More documents

Recommendations

Info

RADICAL BITES #06 Money talk Jesus taught that if you wanted His kingdom you’d have to get rid of everything else first (Matthew 13:44, Luke 14:33). PAUL WARNS us that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Scandalously, Paul’s words are often quoted by Christians for the wrong reasons. They use Paul to defend themselves against Jesus. “We mustn’t love money,” they say, “but we’ll still have plenty. Phew! That got Jesus out of the way”. Jesus, hammer-like, put it like this: “You’ll either love God and hate money, or the other way around. You choose” (a paraphrase of Matthew 6:24). Jesus says that if you love God you will hate money! This is less often quoted by Christians. Joe Average wouldn’t deny that he loves money. At least he’s honest. Most Christians guiltily deny that they love their cash and make up pretty excuses: “It’s all right to possess money, just don’t let it possess you”. Rather weak, this, compared with Jesus’ line on money which amounted to: “Get rid of it”. Money keeps two thirds of the world in poverty for a fat minority. Money causes murder, divorce, slander, selfishness. Money drives people to an early grave, promising happiness it never gives. Money brings out the ugly in people. Money kills. (And you love it, don’t you?) Stop ignoring Jesus. Why sing songs which decorate Him with titles while desecrating large sections of what he taught? The church in Acts, with its sharing of money, shows us the teachings of Jesus in practice (Acts 4:32-35). Money is “laid at the apostles’ feet” and channelled into the justice of providing for the needy in the community. It is surrendered “for the sake of the gospel” (Mark 10:29). There was an old nun who was asked to explain her vow of poverty, chastity and obedience. She replied, with a twinkle in her eye: “Got no money, got no man, do as I’m told!” I imagine she could look Jesus in the eye. JL HAVE YOUR SAY: email: info@jesus.org.uk Read the ebook at http://www.jesus.org.uk/ja/jgen_kingdommanifesto.pdf ALL FREE / ALL WELCOME / NO PREJUDICE 008 SATURDAY 23 FEB mJanationalEVENTS Info: Jesus Fellowship, FREEPOST, Nether Heyford, Northampton NN7 3BR t: 0845 123 5550 e: info@jesus.org.uk www.jesus.org.uk/dates FRI 21 - MON 24 MAR SATURDAY 26 APR FRI 23 - MON 26 MAY UK JESUS CELEBRATION 2.00pm & 6.00pm Cocks Moors Woods Leisure Centre, Alcester Road South, Kings Heath, BIRMINGHAM B14 6ER ALIVE FESTIVAL WEEKEND Giant Marquee, Cornhill Manor, Pattishall, NORTHAMPTON NN12 8LQ MEN ALIVE FOR GOD From 11.00am Jesus Centre, Abington Square, NORTHAMPTON NN1 4AE POWER FESTIVAL WEEKEND Giant Marquee, Cornhill Manor, Pattishall, NORTHAMPTON NN12 8LQ visit the mJa shop at: VIDEOS www.jesuspeople.biz MUSIC DVDS CROSSES BOOKS CLOTHING Jesus Life One/2008 Page 30 www.jesus.org.uk
ant & rave THERE rant evangelism rant Iysha Sutherland Under the shadow of our steeple, are all the lost and lonely people, Searching for the hope that’s tucked away in you and me... I HEARD these song lyrics the other day – they gave me feeling a sense of urgency to reach out to people through evangelism. I want to see churches in this country become more visible to the eye of the public: not church buildings, but church! The Boiling with rage and bubbling with excitement - Jesus Life hears from mJa members, Iysha Sutherland and Tschaka Roussel. people! A people who care. There are many people that are afraid to come to church, with the fear of being judged, being made not welcome or unable to fit in. We should reach out and meet them where they’re at. There’s a place for them in God’s people. Too many cosy Christians sit in central heated homes or churches, talking the talk, but missing the need on the other side of the front door. There’s no end of excuses: “I’m tired, had a busy week at work”; “I’ve got a cold”; “Don’t feel very Christian right now”... Every time my church gets out on the streets to share Jesus I have excuses in my mind. I often have to challenge myself (if no one else will). I ask myself, “Can God use me even though I’m tired? Even in the cold, or with a cold? Am I disciple of Jesus? Yes!” So get out there! Do it! No excuses. covenant IS something wonderfully beautiful about a people who are willing to put friendship above everything else. In our church, some of us choose to make a deliberate promise of friendship and commitment to each other and to God. We call it covenant. Making a covenant like this, with each other, is amazingly potent stuff because it means people will really choose to put others before themselves. Friendship is secured, fears are stilled, emotions are healed, paranoia stifled. When commitment like this takes place in a church, people are free to be themselves and discover who they were meant to be. No-one’s going to be dumped – we’re in it for the long haul. Love has its way. People commit to look out for each other –for good. Covenant commitment of this kind doesn’t start with us – it starts with God. This is perhaps best seen when Jesus sat round a table with His friends and told them “the meal we’re eating now, the bread and the wine, symbolises the life I’m going to share with you for ever. Even as this bread gets broken and the wine poured out so I’m going to pour out My life for you.” It’s a meal Christians have been sharing for thousands of years since He made that promise. It’s powerful. Just as Jesus laid JL down His life for us; we lay down our lives for Him and for each other. This means the death of selfishness, but, as Jesus said at that first famous meal: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” (John 15:12-14) HAVE YOUR OWN RANT OR RAVE: www.jesus.org.uk/forum www.jesus.org.uk Jesus Life One/2008 Page 31
Page 1 and 2: esusLife #77 one/2008 FREE LONDON J
Page 3 and 4: ALIVE ALIVE church ALIVE Comments f
Page 5 and 6: We learnt from the poor The Jesus F
Page 7 and 8: he poor We learnt from the poor the
Page 9 and 10: Secrets and Lies The pagan coven th
Page 11 and 12: “...there are lots of ancient tre
Page 13 and 14: Centres How can I help? We always n
Page 15 and 16: www.jesus.org.uk We have ended up t
Page 17 and 18: multiply WHAT IS MULTIPLY? Multiply
Page 19 and 20: multiply CHURCH OF NEW LIFE Jesus F
Page 21 and 22: multiply Many were healed. Among th
Page 23 and 24: and Ice A remarkable move of God ha
Page 25 and 26: ON THE INSIDE OUTSIDE prisoner free
Page 27 and 28: others Gideon and Jake unitedBrothe
Page 29: volts going through our hands” (p

Church of the poor - Jesus Army

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?