Audio service for 23 August: Reset – Finishing Well
The reading is included in the service.
Reader: Caroline Ashcroft
Preacher: Ian Jennings
Tag Archive for: eternity
Audio Service 14 June: The Dangers of Entitlement
The reading (Luke 16.19-end) is included in the service.
Preacher: Christoph Lindner
A remarkable life: Ravi Zacharias, 1946-2020
UPDATE (February 2021):
Over the last months harrowing details have emerged of how Ravi Zacharias abused his position of trust and influence and abused and damaged the lives of people. In a recent blog post, LICC wrote these words, which we wholeheartedly echo:
“No apologetic can suffice. We must face tough questions on the charisma cult, wilful blindness to narcissistic leadership, lack of accountability, and defensive posturing making people deaf to those who spoke truth. Reparations must be made, where care and some sort of ‘justice’ for survivors is first priority.”
Ravi Zacharias (26 March 1946 – 19 May 2020) was an Indian-born Canadian-American Christian speaker and writer. Zacharias was the author of more than 30 books revolving around “Apologetics” (helping believers think and thinkers believer), including Can Man Live Without God?, as well as Christian bestsellers Light in the Shadow of Jihad and The Grand Weaver. Zacharias was the founder and chairman of the board of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) and OCCA (Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics), which provided speakers for our Rethink week in 2018.
“Does God Exist?”
It is a question also asked behind the walls of Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola Prison, the largest maximum-security prison in the United States. Zacharias had prayed with prisoners of war all those years ago in Vietnam but walking through Death Row left an even deeper impression. Zacharias believed the gospel shined with grace and power, especially in the darkest places, and praying with those on Death Row “makes it impossible to block the tears.” It was his third visit to Angola and, such is his deep connection, the inmates have made Zacharias the coffin in which he will be buried. As he writes in Seeing Jesus from the East:
“These prisoners know that this world is not their home and that no coffin could ever be their final destination. Jesus assured us of that.”
Audio Service 29 March 2020: A claim, a promise, an obligation
This talk is based on John 8.46-end.
The reading is included in the recording.
Reader: Ian Jennings
Preacher: Christoph Lindner
Sermon: Healthy Family – “What we need is a miracle!”
Sermon preached by Christoph Lindner on Sunday 23 February, 10.30am service.
This sermon is based on Acts 4.5-13 and Luke 7. 11-23.
During our service and at the beginning and end of this sermon, we sang and prayed this hymn:
Here are the notes from page 1 of our news sheet:
Healthy Family: What we need is a miracle
“Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.” (Acts 2.43)
Jesus and his disciples spread the good news in both proclamation (preaching) and demonstration (healings, miracles).
For Luke, who wrote a gospel and the Book of Acts, signs and wonders
- bestow benefits (often physical) on those blessed by them.
- show that Jesus truly is the Son of God in whom ‘there is salvation’ (Acts 4.12)
- show that the Kingdom of God truly is among them.
- form part of the Christian witness and produce faith.
Wherever signs and wonders are done in the name of Jesus today, they have the same potential. God works through the regular rhythms and rules of creation (e.g. modern medicine!), in response to faithful prayer and through specific acts of grace, sometimes miraculous.
Healthy Habits
From Pentecost we will explore and practise healthy habits of Christians. When we grow in Christlikeness, that itself is a gift of God’s grace. The more we practise healthy habits, the more signs and wonders we will see, with the habit of prayer playing a prominent role. And there is no greater miracle than the transformation of the human heart!
When we follow Jesus, the initiative always lies with him! It is important to remember this when it comes to miracles: we cannot produce them ‘to order’ and sadly the realm of God’s supernatural intervention can be misused for human manipulation and deceit. We need to humbly recognise that there will always be an element of mystery as to why we see some signs and not others. Many questions beginning with ‘why’ will remain. But as followers of Jesus we are already part of the greatest miracle of all – Jesus’ resurrection and our firm hope of overflowing and eternal life as we follow him.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)
