Citygate Church

About this series:

At the start of 2022 Russ, our Lead Elder, spoke about this being a year of ‘pruning for fruitfulness.’ The imagery comes from John 15 so we are going to preach through this chapter over seven Sundays.

The vine and branches are a wonderful and inspiring image but comes at a very intense point in Jesus’ journey to the cross.

There is also a clear Old Testament connection. In the OT “the vine” or “the vineyard” was a common picture of God’s people, and a symbol of the fruitfulness God intended for them. God had done all that was necessary for his people to be fruitful - chosen them, loved them, planted them in ‘fertile’ conditions - yet they continually turned away from him, and failed to be a prophetic witness to the nations of the one true God.

Fast-forward to John’s gospel where Jesus says, “I am the true vine” - I am the truly fruitful one sent by my Father, who himself is the gardener; stay intimately connected to me and dependent on me; your fruitfulness is directly related to that connection. It is by remaining in me that you will be enabled to be the distinct and faithful people of God and a prophetic witness of him.

We have a danger of immediately thinking of fruitfulness in terms of output, usefulness, and productivity - which is certainly part of what it means to be fruitful. But fruitfulness for God is the result of a life rooted in faithfulness to him. That is surely why God’s people produced bad fruit throughout the OT - because they had been unfaithful. Bearing good fruit is a matter of growth in godliness and character; it’s a holiness question as much as a usefulness one.

This series about abiding is not a set of seven ways to be fruitful but is a careful study in John 15. However, we hope that it is extremely practical, with the thread of abiding (as the way to be fruitful) weaving through it all. Each part of the series should help us consider how we can abide in Jesus.

For example

- Through staying conscious of him at all times

- Submitting our decisions to him

-Keeping his glory as the goal

- Connecting to fellow believers

- Ensuring that we’re carving out time to be alone with him in personal devotions (prayer, Bible reading, worship, etc)

- Growing in our understanding of who he is and who we are in him.

About this talk:

Scripture: John 15:2

Much would have been understood by Jesus’ disciples and by those who heard this teaching passed on which escapes us in our largely non-agricultural society. The gardener does many things - planting, watering, digging, protecting - but Jesus mentions only two here: “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” Essentially he removes dead wood (in winter) and prunes healthy branches (in spring), both of which involve taking his knife to the vine, but with different aims.

We can make some sense of pruning - most of us understand the concept and have made an attempt at trimming plants, however unskilled, to remove unwanted growth and to encourage further growth. It is sometimes amazing to watch an experienced gardener seemingly come close to destroying a plant with severe pruning. But they know what they’re doing and are not indiscriminately hacking at the plant, but are enabling the plant to focus its energy where it is most needed to maximize fruitfulness.

For the disciple, pruning is most likely to be a painful experience: restricting in some ways or removing aspects of their experience. Other passages that come to mind in connection with the idea of pruning might be the story of Joseph; Psalm 119:65-80; 2 Corinthians 12:1-10; Hebrews 12:4-13.

But what are we to make of, “He cuts off (or takes away, cuts out) every branch in me that bears no fruit”? There’s plenty of debate about who such branches are. While we should be cautious about pushing the analogy too far or trying to be overly precise, here are some of the options proposed for who these fruitless branches are:

i) These are people who have only appeared to be among his people. They are fruitless, nominal believers who are shown in the end not to have had his life flowing through them after all; they never were true believers connected to the vine. If so, this could be a reference to Judas (who has left the group to betray Jesus) in contrast to the 11 others who, v 3, “are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.” The issue with this view is that these are branches who are “in me” and that elsewhere in John, the phrase “in me” refers almost always to those who are positively connected to Jesus, not those who only appear to be.

ii) They are people who were genuine disciples, but have failed to remain in Jesus, have drifted away from him, and thus have lost their salvation. However, this would be contrary to Jesus’ teaching in, for example, John 10:28-29 and to the assurance of salvation (based on Jesus alone) that runs throughout the NT.

iii) They are genuine disciples. Here, the clue is in the fact that they are branches “in me.” These are disciples who belong to him, from whom the Father is cutting out those parts that are dead wood so that the fruitful parts can grow unhindered to bear more fruit. However, v 6 goes on to say, “If you do not remain in me (note “in me” again), you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned,” which seems, in the language Jesus used elsewhere, to speak of eternal judgment. See notes on v 6 in no. 4, below.

It is certainly a difficult verse (as is verse 6, which appears related to this one) but we can at least say that we should expect the Father to lovingly and graciously work in us to make us more fruitful for his glory, pruning us where Christ’s life is already flowing through us and even removing unhelpful things from us.

We look at:

- What might pruning look and feel like in our lives? Can we give some personal illustrations of where we have experienced this?

-How can we be sure to maintain a humble submissive attitude to the Father’s pruning work?

- And how can we discern when the pain we are feeling is his pruning work, as opposed to just the toughness of life or the opposition from the devil? Or can they at times be one and the same thing?

About this series:

At the start of 2022 Russ, our Lead Elder, spoke about this being a year of ‘pruning for fruitfulness.’ The imagery comes from John 15 so we are going to preach through this chapter over seven Sundays.

The vine and branches are a wonderful and inspiring image but comes at a very intense point in Jesus’ journey to the cross.

There is also a clear Old Testament connection. In the OT “the vine” or “the vineyard” was a common picture of God’s people, and a symbol of the fruitfulness God intended for them. God had done all that was necessary for his people to be fruitful - chosen them, loved them, planted them in ‘fertile’ conditions - yet they continually turned away from him, and failed to be a prophetic witness to the nations of the one true God.

Fast-forward to John’s gospel where Jesus says, “I am the true vine” - I am the truly fruitful one sent by my Father, who himself is the gardener; stay intimately connected to me and dependent on me; your fruitfulness is directly related to that connection. It is by remaining in me that you will be enabled to be the distinct and faithful people of God and a prophetic witness of him.

We have a danger of immediately thinking of fruitfulness in terms of output, usefulness, and productivity - which is certainly part of what it means to be fruitful. But fruitfulness for God is the result of a life rooted in faithfulness to him. That is surely why God’s people produced bad fruit throughout the OT - because they had been unfaithful. Bearing good fruit is a matter of growth in godliness and character; it’s a holiness question as much as a usefulness one.

This series about abiding is not a set of seven ways to be fruitful but is a careful study in John 15. However, we hope that it is extremely practical, with the thread of abiding (as the way to be fruitful) weaving through it all. Each part of the series should help us consider how we can abide in Jesus.

For example

- Through staying conscious of him at all times

- Submitting our decisions to him

-Keeping his glory as the goal

Connecting to fellow believers

Ensuring that we’re carving out time to be alone with him in personal devotions (prayer, Bible reading, worship, etc)

Growing in our understanding of who he is and who we are in him.

About this talk:

Scripture: John 15:1b

This is the only “I am” saying where Jesus also states who God the Father is within the same imagery - the gardener. Though the focus of the extended metaphor is Jesus, the Father is not incidental to it - it is he who “cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (v 2); the goal is the Father’s glory (v 8), and the Father’s love is central (v9).

Jesus calls God his Father frequently - four times in this passage and 32 times in total in John (eg. 2:15; 5:16; 10:17). He is describing the uniqueness of his relationship with God - he is uniquely the Father’s Son. But wonderfully, he then brings his disciples into that Father-son relationship by virtue of adoption into his family. The very same God is our Father! When Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection, he says to her, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17). While he is the unique Son, we are all sons and daughters of the same Father.

In OT references Israel being God’s vineyard, it is God himself who planted and cared for it. And here the Father is described as the gardener (a Greek word meaning farmer generally and vinedresser specifically in this context). The beauty of the Trinity’s work in our lives is explained at different times as being the work of the Father (here), the Son (eg. Matthew 28:20), and the Holy Spirit (see John 14 & 16). They are so one and united that they are all at work in our lives, but here it is the Father who is said to be tending to the branches of the vines. How he does that - by removing dead wood and pruning healthy branches - will be described in v 2.

We look at:

- How does this term - gardener - fit with other terms used to describe God throughout the Bible?

-What images and ideas does God as the gardener bring to mind? What does a gardener or vinedresser actually do?

-If the Father is the gardener, he is the owner of the vineyard and the one whose reputation is bound up with the vineyard. How do we abide in such a way that he remains our focus and whose glory we seek?

About this series:

This 11-part series will help us to understand and apply the Bible’s teaching on God’s plan for us to steward the gifts he has given us and therefore the type of people he is calling us to be in our day.

The entire message of the Bible reflects the statement in Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (cf. Psalm 89:11).  And yet we must balance that with the fact that God has also called mankind to steward his creation: “The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to the human race” (Psalm 115:16) In making the distinction between God’s rule and our delegated rule, John Stott says, ‘Our possession of the earth is leasehold, therefore, not freehold. We are only tenants; God himself remains...the “landlord.”’

It’s also clear from the creation account in Genesis that mankind was specifically created to bear God’s image and to rule on his behalf over his creation:

Genesis 1:28: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’”

William Edgar defines this mandate given to Adam: ‘The creation mandate is the on-going charge to humanity, in the power and blessing of God, to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth and to gently subdue and cultivate the earth.’ This mandate relates not only to the physical ‘earth’ but also to our physical selves, what we do with the resources God has given us and to the way we care for the rest of mankind.

About this talk:

Scripture: Genesis 2:15, Romans 8:18-23

According to NASA, climate change, “encompasses global warming, but refers to the broader range of changes that are happening to our planet, including rising sea levels; shrinking mountain glaciers; accelerating ice melt in Greenland, Antarctica and the Arctic; and shifts in flower/plant blooming times.”

Likewise, NASA describes global warming as “the long-term heating of the Earth’s climate system observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in the Earth’s atmosphere.”

It is perhaps inevitable that in filling the earth, subduing it, working it and taking care of it (Genesis 1:28 and 2:15), it was that some changes would always have happened to the earth. However, it is the lack of care taken over mankind’s impact on the climate that is at issue here. Climate change is leading to mass migration and is disproportionately affecting poorer and more vulnerable peoples, where unstable government, conflict and poverty.

Climate change is a ‘threat multiplier’ (a term coined by the US Military) - the effects of the usual weather threats such as flooding, heatwaves, droughts, hurricanes, wildfires, ‘The warmer it gets, the more frequent or the stronger and more damaging these events are getting’ (Katharine Hayhoe, Climate Scientist, Texas Tech University).

And then there are long-term changes, such as rising sea level, directly endangering the two-thirds of the world’s cities, many in developing countries which lie within a metre of current sea level (Katharine Hayhoe).

We look at: 

- Giving some examples of the way climate change is a hunger issue, a poverty issue, an inequality issue, an issue disproportionately affecting the world’s poorest and most vulnerable.

- What are some achievable steps we can suggest people consider to make a small contribution to tackling climate change?

About this series:

This 11-part series will help us to understand and apply the Bible’s teaching on God’s plan for us to steward the gifts he has given us and therefore the type of people he is calling us to be in our day.

The entire message of the Bible reflects the statement in Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (cf. Psalm 89:11).  And yet we must balance that with the fact that God has also called mankind to steward his creation: “The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to the human race” (Psalm 115:16) In making the distinction between God’s rule and our delegated rule, John Stott says, ‘Our possession of the earth is leasehold, therefore, not freehold. We are only tenants; God himself remains...the “landlord.”’

It’s also clear from the creation account in Genesis that mankind was specifically created to bear God’s image and to rule on his behalf over his creation:

Genesis 1:28: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’”

William Edgar defines this mandate given to Adam: ‘The creation mandate is the on-going charge to humanity, in the power and blessing of God, to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth and to gently subdue and cultivate the earth.’ This mandate relates not only to the physical ‘earth’ but also to our physical selves, what we do with the resources God has given us and to the way we care for the rest of mankind.

About this talk:

Scripture: Psalm 24:1

One of the central tenets of the Bible is that God is creator, sustainer and owner of all that exists - “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1). As Abraham Kuyper said, ‘There is not a square inch over the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign of all, does not cry: “Mine!”’

Clearly, a crucial part of this belief is that God has called mankind to care for the earth, the planet on which we live. The two pairs of instructions given to Adam were:

- Genesis 1:28: “fill the earth (bring it to fulness, abundance) and subdue it (bring it into order, submission).”

- Genesis 2:15: “work it” (serve, cultivate) and take care of it (keep, preserve, guard).”

In fact, there is a clear connection in Genesis 1:26 between being made in God’s image and ruling over creation, which the NIV translation brings out: “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over…’”

Much of history has demonstrated mankind working this out in harmony with the earth’s resources - God, after all, has ensured we have all the resources we need for sustainable life on earth. But in more recent centuries and decades, when we have gained the knowledge to exploit the earth’s resources and when population growth has given the need to do so, our care of the earth could not be described so favourably in the terms used in Genesis 1 & 2.

From deforestation to the pollution of water sources, from use of fossil fuels to loss of biodiversity, from poor waste management to over-harvesting we have failed to take care of the earth that belongs to God and which he called us to be caretakers of.

All of which calls for repentance over our wrongdoing and courageous decisions to reverse this trend.

We look at:

- What does “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it” mean for each of us in practice?

- How mankind is and is not stewarding the earth?

- How do we balance our responsibility to take care of God’s earth with the belief that, “The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare” as we look forward “to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:10,13)?

About this series:

This 11-part series will help us to understand and apply the Bible’s teaching on God’s plan for us to steward the gifts he has given us and therefore the type of people he is calling us to be in our day.

The entire message of the Bible reflects the statement in Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (cf. Psalm 89:11).  And yet we must balance that with the fact that God has also called mankind to steward his creation: “The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to the human race” (Psalm 115:16) In making the distinction between God’s rule and our delegated rule, John Stott says, ‘Our possession of the earth is leasehold, therefore, not freehold. We are only tenants; God himself remains...the “landlord.”’

It’s also clear from the creation account in Genesis that mankind was specifically created to bear God’s image and to rule on his behalf over his creation:

Genesis 1:28: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’”

William Edgar defines this mandate given to Adam: ‘The creation mandate is the on-going charge to humanity, in the power and blessing of God, to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth and to gently subdue and cultivate the earth.’ This mandate relates not only to the physical ‘earth’ but also to our physical selves, what we do with the resources God has given us and to the way we care for the rest of mankind.

About this talk:

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-2a

Dame Cicely Saunders, Founder of the Hospice Movement, famously said, ‘You matter because you are you, and you matter to the end of your life. We will do all we can not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die.’

The way old age is viewed in the modern, western world is different from how it has historically been and still is in many parts of the world. While the elderly can be led to feel they are a burden in our society, many eastern societies honour, protect and value their elders. In China, for example, the requirement to respect the elderly is enshrined in law.

In one sense, the statement in Ecclesiastes 3, “There is…a time to be born and a time to die” is a statement of the obvious. But it is also a statement recognising God’s sovereignty over the time of our birth and our death. It is therefore dangerous for us to impose ourselves on his timing.

A lack of general awareness of God’s place in life, combined with huge medical advances, has led to many changes in our world; one of which is the way many people now view options around the end of life, especially given our ageing population. Pressure to change the laws on ethanasia, in particular, is strong. Before reacting too quickly against that, it is worth listening to the stories of some who are suffering terribly with incurable and distressing illnesses. 

We take a look at:

- How does the Bible (and other cultures) encourage us to view older age?

- Given that we will all die, how can we help people prepare for facing the difficulties of old age and the end of life in a healthy, faith-filled way?

- Are there some practical steps we can encourage people to take to stand up for those facing the end of life or caring for those at the end of life?

About this series:

This 11-part series will help us to understand and apply the Bible’s teaching on God’s plan for us to steward the gifts he has given us and therefore the type of people he is calling us to be in our day.

The entire message of the Bible reflects the statement in Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (cf. Psalm 89:11).  And yet we must balance that with the fact that God has also called mankind to steward his creation: “The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to the human race” (Psalm 115:16) In making the distinction between God’s rule and our delegated rule, John Stott says, ‘Our possession of the earth is leasehold, therefore, not freehold. We are only tenants; God himself remains...the “landlord.”’

It’s also clear from the creation account in Genesis that mankind was specifically created to bear God’s image and to rule on his behalf over his creation:

Genesis 1:28: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’”

William Edgar defines this mandate given to Adam: ‘The creation mandate is the on-going charge to humanity, in the power and blessing of God, to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth and to gently subdue and cultivate the earth.’ This mandate relates not only to the physical ‘earth’ but also to our physical selves, what we do with the resources God has given us and to the way we care for the rest of mankind.

About this talk:

Scripture: Psalm 139:13-18

American writer Pearl Buck:  ‘Our society must make it right and possible for old people not to fear the young or be deserted by them, for the test of a civilization is the way that it cares for its helpless members.’ Hubert Humphrey, U.S. Vice President from 1965 to 1969, spoke about the treatment of the weakest members of society as a reflection of its government: ‘The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life; the sick, the needy and the handicapped.’

Theology, of course, informs how we view the whole of life, including, crucially, the beginning and the end points. The Bible speaks about human beings as people before birth on many occasions, for example: Psalm 139:13-16; Luke 1:39-45; Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 51:5-6; Galatians 1:15. This has huge implications for our belief about the unborn. In addressing this, we need to be hugely sensitive towards those for whom that is a sensitive subject - those who knew they were not wanted by their parents or who have experienced miscarriage or had an abortion.

The fact that we are all equally made in God’s image means we are all equally valuable: ‘People are equal in the same way pennies are equal. Some are bright, others are dull; some are worn smooth, others are sharp and fresh. But all are equal in value for each for each penny bears the image of the sovereign; each person bears the image of the King of kings’ (Vaughan Roberts). This has great meaning for our beliefs:

- About the inherent value of every single human being.

- That it can never be said of someone that they are a ‘mistake.’

- That as Christians we have a responsibility to speak up for, and care for, those who cannot speak up for themselves.

- About those born with special needs, along with the truths of Psalm 139:13-16. Again, great sensitivity will be needed here.

We look at:

- How do attitudes to the beginning of life differ across times and cultures?

- What does Psalm 139:13-16 have to say, in practical terms to our attitudes to the beginning of life?

- Are there some practical steps we can encourage people to take to stand up for those at the beginning of life and those affected by issues they’ve encountered regarding the beginning of life?

About this series:

This 11-part series will help us to understand and apply the Bible’s teaching on God’s plan for us to steward the gifts he has given us and therefore the type of people he is calling us to be in our day.

The entire message of the Bible reflects the statement in Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (cf. Psalm 89:11).  And yet we must balance that with the fact that God has also called mankind to steward his creation: “The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to the human race” (Psalm 115:16) In making the distinction between God’s rule and our delegated rule, John Stott says, ‘Our possession of the earth is leasehold, therefore, not freehold. We are only tenants; God himself remains...the “landlord.”’

It’s also clear from the creation account in Genesis that mankind was specifically created to bear God’s image and to rule on his behalf over his creation:

Genesis 1:28: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’”

William Edgar defines this mandate given to Adam: ‘The creation mandate is the on-going charge to humanity, in the power and blessing of God, to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth and to gently subdue and cultivate the earth.’ This mandate relates not only to the physical ‘earth’ but also to our physical selves, what we do with the resources God has given us and to the way we care for the rest of mankind.

About this talk:

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Human beings are integrated wholes, unities of body, mind and spirit. Understanding the part that our mind plays in life and in our overall wellbeing has grown enormously over the last few decades; and yet mental health challenges have risen to levels never seen before.

It may be helpful to explore some of the ways our minds develop and how different people’s mental processes differ - without drawing any simplistic or hard-and-fast rules - as well as highlighting some of the remarkable things our minds can do.

It is true, as Paul says in Romans 12:2 that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds - the often used phrase ‘the battle for the mind’ is a very real arena of warfare. And here in Philippians 4 we are given various encouragements and instructions: to rejoice, to not be anxious but to take our prayers and petitions to God (with the promise that his peace will guard our hearts and minds), to think about certain things and to follow Paul’s example.

Some of the mind-challenges we all face centre on fears and anxieties, which would be worth identifying and facing up to, along with bringing some biblical help, particularly with regard to replacing liew with truth.

Application could include:

- Maintaining a healthy mind is a challenge for every one of us. How does Paul’s teaching on “Do not be anxious about anything” equip us for the battle?

- What help can we give for people who have developed unhealthy patterns of thinking and how can we encourage them to practise v 8 instead?

- If there are areas of your own life where you can be appropriately authentic, that could be extremely helpful.

About this series:

This 11-part series will help us to understand and apply the Bible’s teaching on God’s plan for us to steward the gifts he has given us and therefore the type of people he is calling us to be in our day.

The entire message of the Bible reflects the statement in Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (cf. Psalm 89:11).  And yet we must balance that with the fact that God has also called mankind to steward his creation: “The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to the human race” (Psalm 115:16) In making the distinction between God’s rule and our delegated rule, John Stott says, ‘Our possession of the earth is leasehold, therefore, not freehold. We are only tenants; God himself remains...the “landlord.”’

It’s also clear from the creation account in Genesis that mankind was specifically created to bear God’s image and to rule on his behalf over his creation:

Genesis 1:28: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’”

William Edgar defines this mandate given to Adam: ‘The creation mandate is the on-going charge to humanity, in the power and blessing of God, to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth and to gently subdue and cultivate the earth.’ This mandate relates not only to the physical ‘earth’ but also to our physical selves, what we do with the resources God has given us and to the way we care for the rest of mankind.

About this talk:

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

In a world where there is often division between spiritual and physical, the Christian faith affirms the value of both. Most of the modern, western world emphasises physical over spiritual - experiencing all the physical pleasure you can is what matters. In contrast, much of the eastern world has traditionally emphasised spiritual over physical, seeing the physical as unimportant, even illusory.

However, physical matter matters - which we see in God’s physical creation being repeatedly declared as “good” in Genesis 1. We also see this in Jesus taking on flesh and his resurrection to physical life, as we will be raised too. It is in a physical body and in the physical world that we see and experience the spiritual life of God - we are physical temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6).

The body is a remarkable thing, displaying the wisdom of an almighty creator. It could be helpful to give some physical facts about the body to illustrate this.

We will also want to address the twin errors that people can fall into with regard to the body:

- Overvaluing the body: focussing on it more than we should, finding our identity in appearance, working too hard to shape it, etc.

- Undervaluing the body: neglecting the physical gift God has given us, eating poorly, failing to exercise, etc.

We look at:

- How can we steward the gift of our body, neither neglecting it or becoming enslaved to it, especially in our image-obsessed culture?

- What help can we offer to those who suffer ill-health, whose body is a source of distress and frustration?

- What does 1 Corinthians 6 teach us: “your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit”?

About this series:

This 11-part series will help us to understand and apply the Bible’s teaching on God’s plan for us to steward the gifts he has given us and therefore the type of people he is calling us to be in our day.

The entire message of the Bible reflects the statement in Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (cf. Psalm 89:11).  And yet we must balance that with the fact that God has also called mankind to steward his creation: “The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to the human race” (Psalm 115:16) In making the distinction between God’s rule and our delegated rule, John Stott says, ‘Our possession of the earth is leasehold, therefore, not freehold. We are only tenants; God himself remains...the “landlord.”’

It’s also clear from the creation account in Genesis that mankind was specifically created to bear God’s image and to rule on his behalf over his creation:

Genesis 1:28: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’”

William Edgar defines this mandate given to Adam: ‘The creation mandate is the on-going charge to humanity, in the power and blessing of God, to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth and to gently subdue and cultivate the earth.’ This mandate relates not only to the physical ‘earth’ but also to our physical selves, what we do with the resources God has given us and to the way we care for the rest of mankind.

About this talk:

Scripture: Genesis 2:1-3

‘If you rest you rust,’ wrote American actress Helen Hayes. Virgin Media’s most recent advert uses the line ‘Faster brings us closer’ (a previous strapline was ‘Faster, faster, faster). The pressure to be do more, whether physically or digitally, is relentless. The result, according to a 2018 article in the Independent newspaper, is that, ‘Millions of Brits are ‘overwhelmed’ by mounting work pressures, busy social calendars and financial worries…Research revealed two thirds feel a constant sense of dread caused by the stress of their day-to-day lives.’

Many of us are very poor at resting because we fear missing out, we feel guilty when not being ‘productive’ and we see being busy as a positive reflection on our self worth - when did you last hear a working person confidently say they were getting plenty of rest or happy to say they weren’t very busy.

However:

- God built the need for regular rest into his creation - Sabbath (how does this command apply to us today?) and sleep.

- The discipline of rest is an indicator of being able to trust God.

- The positive effects of rest are considerable in terms of physical, mental and relational wellbeing.

Rest, and feeling refreshed, looks very different for different people. For one person, it may be an evening in front of the television, for another it’s an energetic session at the gym. Reading a book may refresh some, while for others reading could be extremely frustrating and stressful! Though many people feel they have too many demands to be able to rest, it is a discipline we all need to take responsibility for. Knowing what refreshes you and finding ways to engage with that is very important.

We look at:

- Most people will say they can’t find the time to rest as much as they should? What are some of the reasons we struggle to get sufficient rest (and refreshing) and what do those things say about us?

- Different people rest and feel refreshed in different ways. And different people have different limitations. Can we make some suggestions and help people to understand themselves better?

- What does it mean to find rest in God (Psalm 62:1, 5)? How do we do that?

About this series:

This 11-part series will help us to understand and apply the Bible’s teaching on God’s plan for us to steward the gifts he has given us and therefore the type of people he is calling us to be in our day.

The entire message of the Bible reflects the statement in Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (cf. Psalm 89:11).  And yet we must balance that with the fact that God has also called mankind to steward his creation: “The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to the human race” (Psalm 115:16) In making the distinction between God’s rule and our delegated rule, John Stott says, ‘Our possession of the earth is leasehold, therefore, not freehold. We are only tenants; God himself remains...the “landlord.”’

It’s also clear from the creation account in Genesis that mankind was specifically created to bear God’s image and to rule on his behalf over his creation:

Genesis 1:28: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’”

William Edgar defines this mandate given to Adam: ‘The creation mandate is the on-going charge to humanity, in the power and blessing of God, to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth and to gently subdue and cultivate the earth.’ This mandate relates not only to the physical ‘earth’ but also to our physical selves, what we do with the resources God has given us and to the way we care for the rest of mankind.

About this talk:

Scripture: Genesis 2:15

By work we mean someone’s primary occupation, whether that is being a businessman, a hairdresser or a parent. Mankind was formed with the capacity to be creative (in the image of a creative God), with the task of ruling, working and taking care of God’s creation. Work is therefore not part of the curse of the Fall; it is a foundational part of God’s good creation, as is clear from Genesis 1 & 2. God intended that Adam and Eve be fruitful in that task and it is only after the Fall that work becomes “toil” (Genesis 3:17) - laborious, wearisome, painful. Not that work wouldn’t have been hard, but that it would not have been characterised by curse, painful toil (v 17), opposition (v 18) and sweat (v 19).

We could say that we all tend to see our work either as treasure or toil. For some it is their treasure - people who live-to-work, finding their life’s central meaning in their work. For others, it’s just toil - those who work-to-live - seeing the purpose for the toil of work as being to pay the bills and help them enjoy the rest of their lives. Others talk of a work-life balance, as though working is not really living.

Both of these ways of viewing work are flawed. Instead, God gives us reasons for working, without making it the reason. Work, then, becomes an avenue for using the creative opportunities God has given, to serve other people and to love him - all of which we do for his glory (see 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:23).

We look at:

- In what ways are we tempted to adopt an ungodly, unbalanced view of work: living-to-work or working-to-live. In what ways does the concept of stewardship help to redeem the gift of work?

- Which elements of our primary occupation do we find rewarding and which are full of toil? How does a healthy theology of work address these?

- How can we find the God-given opportunities in our work, especially those we may easily miss?