In Matthew 25 we read a story of a man who goes on a journey, entrusting varying amounts of wealth to his three servants. Two of them invested what they had been given wisely and were greeted with "Well done, good and faithful servant" on the mans return, and were invited to "Come and share in (the) Master's happiness". The third had not bothered to invest what he had been given and when the man returned - he lost everything!
This picture of primarily speaks of Christ! What have we done with Christ? have we believed in him and trusted him for salvation? if so we can look forward to enjoying eternal happiness with our Master. But it also speaks of all that God has given us, the precious truths of the gospel, the time and money we have, the families we belong in and relationships we have... how do we daily invest all we have been given for God? Do we seek to glorify him in all we do and say? do we seek to share the gospel with those around us? do we hold onto money and time like it belongs to us?
The sermon on the mount gave us an incredible insight into a kingdom where our values and motives and choices were challenged to the core, and on Wednesday last week, we were left with a choice? are we going to choose to live and invest our lives for God or for ourselves? are we going to build our lives on God's word or on the culture we live in?
Let me encourage you to listen to the last talk from our series by clicking here...
In June, we are meeting together to encourage one another in our prayer lives.
Author Cynthia Heald has been known to say that she begins each day with the thought “The choices I make today will either bring me closer to Jesus or further from Jesus!”
As we reach the finale of the sermon on the mount at Women to Women, there's a choice to be made and Jesus paints four pictures depicting different aspects of this choice and its consequences:
Have a closer look through the passage and the pictures… what do you notice? What contrasts are there? What are the choices before those listening? What are the two ways to respond to Jesus teaching and what are the consequences when we don’t?
Matthew 7
The Narrow and Wide Gates
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
True and False Prophets
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
True and False Disciples
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
At W2W we love to encourage one another to get into God's word so why not come, explore with us and be challenged as we dig into these verses together on Wednesday night.
After the challenges of the sermon on the mount it is unsurprising that Jesus towards the end of the sermon reminds his disciples where to get the help they will need in to live the way Jesus describes! “Ask, Seek and Knock” Jesus says…
Ask and you will receive Seek and you will find Knock and the door will be opened to you
Luke 11 gives us further insight into Jesus teaching on prayer…
… I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Three things to Praise God for today:
God promises to asnwer our prayers
God is a GOOD Father and his answers are always GOOD
God gives us more of himself – the Holy Spirit - when we come to him in prayer
Whatever you are praying about today… whatever the answer you get or are waiting for… be encouraged to trust God more – he is our good, and loving Heavenly Father and He is ready to give you the Holy Spirit to remind you of truth, and help you live for Him today.
As a child I like to think I learned from my older brother’s mistakes!! After seeing him inadvertently swear in front of my parents and get a good telling off I remember making a mental note never to do that!! It saved me a lot of grief!! He was however mostly a good example for me to follow and still is a great example of a godly man.
Having people whose example we can follow is important. As a woman, I really value talking with and learning from older ladies in the church as they have demonstrated how something of what it means to be a Godly woman. This is especially true as we have tried to work out how to apply the bible to my life in the midst of challenging circumstances.
This week at Women to Women we are going to be looking at the following passage which I’m sure you will agree seems pose its own challenges as we work out how to apply it.
Matthew 7:1-12
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Ask, Seek, Knock
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
The passage raises questions like: “How can this say “Don’t judge” and then tell us to actively help our brother or sister in removing a speck from their eye?”, “Who are the pigs and dogs?” “What if God doesn’t seem to be opening the door when I pray?”
I am so grateful to many women over the years who have worked out some of the answers through time and experience… who have sought to apply the scriptures into their lives during challenging times… who have trusted God in challenging times and who have been an example to me.
Like Anne, who taught me about trusting the Lord when her health was failing.
And Sandra, who demonstrated how to live and speak for Christ in the workplace.
And May, who taught me about Christian family, praying faithfully for me despite the pain of her own children rejecting the faith.
That’s what I love about Women to Women… the opportunity to meet and share and hear how women older than myself have done this… to get to know them and to hear their testimonies of God’s goodness. I also know I too have the responsibility of passing on what God has taught me too to those younger than myself to encourage them in their faith. This is a unique calling we have as women; to teach the next generation how to live for God.
So please do come on Wednesday ready to learn and share with one another, as we tackle another challenging passage of God’s word together!
Last week at Women to Women we discussed money and worry… we were reminded just how important it was to keep eternity in view…
When our perspective is focused on eternity, it affects our view of what is important in life. We are more likely to value the things of God because they will make a difference in eternity rather than the things which might make this small time we have on earth feel comfortable.
Let’s keep in mind that if we have trusted in Christ for salvation, our eternity is already fixed… nothing we do or don’t do will change that… but the Bible does talk about the quality of our work being tested, and about how we can build here for eternity…
“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.” 1 Cor 3:10-15
What am I building with? How am I using my time and resources and my relationships in a way that builds into eternity?
Look at the following verses which remind us of our reward in heaven. How do they help us to regain a sense of perspective and focus on eternity?
"Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.” Rev 22:12
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” Heb 6:10
“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward." Matt 10:42
Let’s ask God to help us see how we can lay up our treasure in heaven today keeping our eyes on the eternal perspective as we meet with people, work, serve others, pray, and build on the foundation laid for us in Christ.
To listen to Debbie’s talk from Matthew 6: 19-34, click here
What do you daydream about? Or what do you love to spend time planning? Is it a social night? holiday? A new flat/house? Success at work? Children’s achievements?
Or let me ask it another way…
What do you worry about most? Perhaps its your health? Difficulties in relationships? Exams? Politics or Old age?
When we stop to analyse what we think, pray and worry about most we can get a glimpse into what is most important to us. We know we should “Seek first His Kingdom” but that’s hard in the midst of life’s distractions.
This week at women to women we will be looking at Matthew 6:19-34 where Jesus very practically challenges us in the areas of money (and other treasures) and worry! Do come and be with us as together we help each other think about how we might treasure God above all else and trust Him with the challenges of life.
Here’s the passage to reflect on before you come..
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
If you could ask God one question (or for one thing) what would it be?
This is a question I have asked others often in the context of Christianity Explored. Often the answers involve relationships, jobs, health, answers to deep questions… etc
My own answer usually involved more time with my mum who died all too soon.
But on Wednesday at W2W we were asked this question in the context of Matthew 6 where Jesus says repeatedly “Your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you” Matt 6: 4, 6, 18
What difference does it make that God is our Father as we ask this question?
If your bank manager were to reward you – you’d expect some kind of financial bonus, your boss might give you recognition, or promotion, your sports coach a trophy – but what would God the Father give us?
When we stop to think of God as our Father, and the fact that he loves us, that he knows us inside out, the best thing we can ever have from our Father God is a closer relationship with Him. He cared so much about this relationship that it cost him the death of his own son to bring us into his family.
So I am challenged now to think and pray… God, if I could ask you for one thing... let it be more of you!!
Here’s Paul’s “prayer” for a closer relationship with God: “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” Phil 3:10-11
Jesus taught his disciples to pray by giving the words
“Our Father….”
What does it mean to you that God is your Father? Perhaps when we pray we say “Father God…” but do we stop to think what it means that we get to call God, Father?
At Women to Women we have been studying the Sermon on the Mount and have reached chapter 6 where Jesus teaches the disciples what our spirituality should and should not look like. This sounds like it should be a list of rules but in actual fact the context is a relationship! Yes in the first 18 verses, he uses the word “Father” ten times!!!
We can’t begin to imagine how revolutionary this would have been for the Jewish disciples who knew of the God who had fathered their nation, to be told that Jesus was inviting them to know God personally as their father.
But how do you react to the idea of God being your Father?
Often this can be affected by the relationship we have had with our earthy fathers. For some it can bring strong positive emotions as you think of ways your own dad loved and cared for you, but for others the relationship has been a painful one as you remember neglect or abuse or impossibly high standards. But our heavenly Father is perfect (Matt 5v48) and so when we become his children, when we are adopted into his family, we enter into a relationship that is far greater and better than any imperfect human relationship we may think of.
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! –1 John 3:1
Stop today and praise God for all that it means to be able to call God your Father!!
Do come and join us on Wednesday night at W2W if you can as we look at Matthew 6:1-18.
Enemies? Me? I don’t have enemies? Perhaps not exactly - but I was challenged to think of someone who had annoyed me or hurt me recently or just got in the way of my plans.
Can you think of someone like that?
Matthew 5:43-45 says “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”
So how do I love my enemies?
Here are some ways we might consider:
John Piper writes “Prayer for your enemies is one of the deepest forms of love, because it means that you have to really want that something good happen to them. You might do nice things for your enemy without any genuine desire that things go well with them. But prayer for them is in the presence of God who knows your heart, and prayer is interceding with God on their behalf. It may be for their conversion. It may be for their repentance. It may be that they would be awakened to the enmity in their hearts. It may be that they will be stopped in their downward spiral of sin, even if it takes disease or calamity to do it. But the prayer Jesus has in mind here is always for their good”
Sue encouraged us too on Wednesday night to think about loving them, not with a mushy sentimental love, but in light of the verses from 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
And lastly, following Jesus own example – as he hung on the cross, his prayer was “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34
So how do we love our enemies?
Matthew 5:11-12 says “Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
We can love our enemies by Rejoicing: fixing our eyes on eternal things… on the hope that awaits us in heaven… on the relationship we have with Jesus… rather than focusing on the way we are treated here.
My mum was a great example of a peacemaker! The squabbles and fights between my siblings and I certainly gave her plenty opportunities to practice. Growing up, I saw how she intervened in our arguments, calmed us down, helped us see the situation from another perspective and encouraged us to love one another. I have a great relationship with both my brother and sister today and that is in part thanks to her.
But being a peacemaker extended beyond these childhood squabbles. I occasionally watched her sacrificially forgive someone who had hurt her, and I also saw her gently offer words of wisdom to others who were struggling to mend their personal relationships. She was a great example and I wish I was more like her!!
Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God – Matt 5:9
It’s a great quality to be a peacemaker, but this verse says that when we are seeking to make peace with others, we are truly reflecting something of our heavenly Fathers character.
This week, in Women to Women we will be looking at Matthew 5:33-48 where we read “Be perfect therefore just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (v48) and we’ll see three more examples from Jesus of how we can be more like our Father in the way we relate and react to others.
I find it hard enough trying to follow mum’s example, so how am I to ever aspire to following my heavenly Father’s example? What do I do with the tension that exists between God’s call to righteousness and my inability to be righteous? These are important issues to discuss.
On Wednesday night, at Women to Women, we were challenged about just how sinful we are, and just how much we need a saviour. Incredibly…
1 Cor 5 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Think about this amazing truth today and praise God that
We are forgiven - Even though our sin should cut us off from God, Jesus was cut off from His Father so that we could be completely forgiven; past, present and future!!
We are loved - God loves us more than we can comprehend, sending His beloved son die in our place so that we too could be His children.
We are accepted - We don’t need to work hard so that God will accept us, instead as his children we can do our good works motivated by worship, love and gratitude.
As we serve Him today, let’s seek to pray for and speak to others about our loving and merciful God that they too might be reconciled.
"Have you ever had someone rely on you for something really important… but when it came to the crunch, you messed up?"
I once worked for someone who demanded that I live and work in a way that was “above reproach”!! As a Christian, I agreed that I ought to live a good life and be a witness through my example so I worked very hard to live up to expectations and do a good job. Despite much effort, a lot of sacrifice and really good intentions, I completely let him down. I failed. I wasn’t good enough to make the grade according to his standards of acceptance. It felt miserable.
Not being good enough doesn’t feel good! But what do we do with the fact that we are not good enough to be accepted by God?
On Wednesday this week we will be looking at this kind of situation as the disciples realise the standards God has set in his law are even higher to attain than they had realised. Even the professional rule keepers – the Pharisees – couldn’t keep all the laws perfectly. If they weren’t good enough then what chance does anyone else have?
But in Jesus teaching in the sermon on the mount, he says that’s recognising we are not good enough is the perfect place to be: “Blessed are the poor in Spirit” (Mat 5:3) We are blessed if we come to God empty handed with nothing to offer!!
Unlike my example above, when we are faced with our inadequacy … we discover that God has made a way for us to be righteous before him… Jesus lived the perfect life - not to show us how to be acceptable to God but to make us acceptable to God through his death on the cross.
Paul’s is such a great example… he was a good man! One of the best Pharisees around in terms of keeping the law… yet he says his good works are like garbage!! “All I want is Christ 9 and to know that I belong to him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ.” (Phil 3v9 CEV)
We are acceptable to God through Christ!! :o)
Let’s rejoice today that we don’t have to keep the law to be good enough for God, praise God for Jesus’ grace and mercy towards us… let’s have faith… and let’s trust… in what Jesus has done for us and come to God ready to live for him today!
Apologies... last link wouldn't work so here's it is again... lf this one doesnt work go to the carrubbers website, under sermons, and search under "heather" or "women" and you should find it!!!
...it was a bit of an interactive night so there will be a few jumps on the recording... the activities we discussed were:
1. What percentage of teaching/preaching have you heard (incl internet audios) from the writings of Paul, Moses, David, Jesus?
2. Write out the opposites of the beatitudes
3. Jesus lived a peaceable, pure, confident life in God without fear or anxiety. What would it mean for you to live in this kind of freedom? What are the road blocks to this?
Do get in touch with Karen or Heather if you would like to chat more about anything raised at this Women to Women
How much notice do we take of the teachings of Jesus? No – it’s not a question to rouse guilt and shame, but an honest enquiry. We seem to give him a bit of air time at Christmas and perhaps a little more around the cross, but there was a life lived between those two dates. He could’ve come one day and died the next. The task would’ve been done and the debt of sin paid, but for some reason, that’s not how it happened.
What was it for? Why go through the bother of humanity? Was his life lived for children to have stories to colour in Sunday School while the grown-ups hear stronger theology?
But as I read Jesus, it seems that everything is done with purpose. He lived with intention. The theory of human need didn’t satisfy his desire to connect. He took three decades to feel what it’s like to be us. He discovered what matters to people. He felt it. Understood. And then he spoke.
Christ’s best known sermon is our topic for the year. On Wednesday we looked at the notes Matthew took from the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ (chapter 5-7 of his writings).
Here Jesus communicated crucial truths on two distinct ways to live. One way ends in a strong house on a rock and the other with twisted driftwood on a sandy beach (7v24-27).
Many of the points in Jesus’ sermon seem a little bewildering. He picks things that we run from and say they hold joy. He chooses what we value and calls it worthless. “It’s as if Jesus crept into the large display window of life and changed all the price tags; it’s all backwards!” (John MacArthur)
As we listen, we find that Jesus is communicating something bigger.
This is the inauguration of a brand new kingdom; a constitution with uncommon values, other goals. It looks the same on the outside, but it’s truly different. This is an invitation into something remarkable: the kingdom of those who truly follow Jesus.
How did Jesus start his epic talk? Jesus began with happiness (Matt 5:3-12). He understood! We all want it, make choices based on it and frame society and government around it. America’s ‘Declaration of Independence’ states that the pursuit of happiness is our right and aim.
So Jesus takes on the big topic. He tells us how to find happiness – but it’s in a startling place. He says that there is an entry point to joy. And that the key to it is in Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for they shall see God.” (Jesus of Nazareth)
Exercise – if you’d like to see the beatitudes more clearly, try writing out the opposites for each statement. Grapple with the meanings and see the contrast between sadness and joy.
The foundation to happiness is not our societal mantra of, ‘Happy are the proud and rich for they will own the earth’, but rather, ‘Happy are the humble’. “Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.” (Augustine) Humility is the way in to the Christian life as we, in need, bow before the Saviour. It is also the way on.
If it’s the answer, how then do we become humble?
Humility is an issue of focus.
One way of living is to focus on our actions, on the rules, on the activities associated with our faith. We thus live before people – under the law. It is an exhausting life filled with comparisons and marked by chains.
The other way is to live with the basin-carrying King in view. As he fills our sight, action and activity are incidental to our relationship. We thus live before God – lifted by grace. It is a light-emitting life with nothing to prove. It is marked by freedom.
In our efforts to be humble, we dare not focus on humility, for that is focussing on ourselves! Our attention needs to be on Jesus, who, through his poverty has brought us joy. It seems backwards, but these are the rules of the kingdom of heaven.
G Campbell Morgan, an outstanding UK biblical scholar and evangelist who lived until 1945 read nothing but Matthew, Mark, Luke and John for 2 years. He said that he could never get over Jesus. The impact of meeting the living Christ in the pages of the gospels were said to have had a profound impact on his ministry.
Jesus has called us to follow HIM. Not right doctrine, great church, polished praising, impressive programmes. He has asked us to discover the unfettered joy of having him as the leader in our lives, no matter the direction or obstacles on the path.
Ironically, a declaration of independence is the pursuit of emptiness. A declaration of dependence is the pursuit of joy.
Exercise – Write your own declaration of dependence thinking through who leads the life you live under these headings: Personal, Spiritual, Relational, Environmental, Professional, Financial, Creative/Recreational.
Wouldn’t you just love to be able to sit at Jesus feet and learn directly from him?
After hundreds of years of silence, Jesus arrives on the scene… fulfilling the Old Testament promises, embodying the righteous life God calls for, challenging religious half-heartedness, and teaching about what life in His Kingdom is really all about.
And what was it that the Son of God, Israel’s true King, came to teach?
This year, at Women to Women, we will be studying Jesus’ words as he spoke to his disciples in Matthew 5-7. The “Sermon on the Mount” can seem so familiar that we think we know what it says, but it also so deeply challenging we try to forget what it demands.
Perhaps it would be good to come at it afresh, remembering that it begins with “Blessed are the Pure in Heart” and ends with “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock”. We need to come humbly to the Word and seek to listen well to the one who has authority to speak in to our lives. We have much to learn about what it means to belong to Christ and how we might live as citizens of the King.
Why not read through (or watch) Matthew chapters 5-7 before coming along on Wednesday? And let’s pray that we will see more of who Jesus is and what it means to follow him as we come again to listen to his teaching.
Women to Women starts on Wednesday at 7 for 7:30pm… If you can come earlier, we’d love you to join us for a meal at 6:30pm… just email Sue to let her know you’ll be there.
