Family Church Portsmouth

This week Pastor Andy begins a new series called Heavenly Minded. The first message in this series is Heavenly Rewards, as Andy begins to take some time to look at how the Bible teaches us concerning Heavenly things.

We need to be wise with how we spend our time, how we love our families, how we love people around us. We need to be of use to God, understanding there's an eternal life following this temporal life. The Bible reveals to us how our minds will be fully restored; every tear will be wiped away. So we need to understand that things that we do in this life have ramifications in the life that's going to follow – in heaven. Colossians 3, early verses state (NIV) “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God”.

Are we heavenly minded? Many are not giving any thought to living in the light of eternity. The Bible teaches us that there are heavenly rewards for those that chose to be faithful to God in His kingdom, in this chapter of Life called the here and now. For the believer, we are able to come to the big white throne (Revelation 20: 11-14) knowing we have salvation through our faith in Christ who saves us, but the bible also speaks of another judgement which gives us inspiration to live for our Lord. The judgement seat of Christ is rewards based – 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 (NIV) “So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad”. This isn't a punishment based reward or judgment. It's Jesus settling accounts with those who belong to him for how they lived out their lives on the earth before coming to their true home - eternity in heaven with him.

The Bible reveals to us here that after we are saved, God Is watching how we live our lives. Do we live for others? Or do we live for ourselves? Do we live for the comfort and benefit of others? Or we just making sure we've got enough. Do we live for what matters to God? Or do we live for what matters to us? All of these things have a reward thats in heaven waiting for those who lived correctly.

So our belief on Earth is what positions us in eternity - heaven or hell. But our behaviour on earth, what and who we lived for when we were here, will determine the rewards that we receive in heaven. 

The church is referred to as the 'body of Christ'. We are many members, but one body. This message teaches us that, as a member of the body of Christ, we must (1) be submitted to the head, (2) know our function, and (3) work alongside others. Team work makes the dream work!

Today Pastor Gina Elmes speaks about our first love, Jesus Christ. For the Christian there is one central point within our lives that all other parts of our lives should flow - our love for Christ. Together with His love for us we have relationship. Gina looks at various books of the bible (Hosea, Son of Songs) before focusing on the greatest commandment (Mark 12:20 NIV “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength”).

She then looks in depth at Revelation 2, 1-7 (NIV) “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God”.

Pastor Gina explains the background to the Book of Revelation, the meaning behind the references to stars and lampstands then challenges us personally to see whether we have forsaken our first love for Christ, and if so will we follow the instructions given above – will we repent and put Jesus first?

Matthew 6:33 (NIV) says “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”. If we seek Jesus first all the other things we were worried about will fall into place naturally. This is how God intended us to live. 

This powerful teaching reminds us that God's pathway to using the spiritual gifts is love. Before Jesus did miracles He was moved with compassion. God's love has been poured into our hearts and His love in us must be our motivation and drive for using the spiritual gifts.

Pastor Andy Elmes considers what happened next after Easter Sunday – what happened on Monday Morning? Often we pack away the major festivals (Christmas, Easter) very soon after the event and then return to ‘normal’…but what is normal and how should we approach the days afterwards. Let us not think Easter is only a weekend. Let us make what happened 2000 years ago the ‘normal’ for our life. Peter was confused…in John 21:3 we see how he went back to fishing or tries to until Jesus meets with him and restores him to his intended ministry. Are we likewise confused or are we walking in the new creation that we have become? Just as Jesus’ disciples lives were changed forever after the resurrection, so are ours, there is no going back.

Jesus followed in the tracks of the Jewish festivals – Passover, Pentecost & Tabernacles are three. The 50 days after Passover and Pentecost are as important to us as they were to the disciples. Jesus was the lamb whose blood was slain for the ceremonial marking of doorposts for Passover. He is our Passover Lamb now as he was then (in Exodus 12). When we place our faith in Jesus we experience a Passover in our lives. John 1:29 states (ESV), ‘The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”’. Death and the works of the enemy have no authority over us when we have Jesus in our lives.

Fifty days after Passover came another feast – the feast of Pentecost, a celebration of First Fruits. In the intervening time, Jesus did two things 1), He appeared to many as the resurrected Christ who had conquered death and sin and 2) He spent many occasions teaching his disciples and followers about the Kingdom of God. Then He sent them on their way in the great commission before ascending in to Heaven. Acts 1:1-3 describes this time (NIV) ‘In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.  After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God’!

A new way of living began – Kingdom living. In all the occasions when Jesus appeared to people (road to Emmaus etc), nobody recognised Him until He broke bread or something familiar. His spiritual, risen body was present and also our eyes need to be ready to be opened by Him daily. Let us not pack Easter away so quickly but live in the risen reality of everything Jesus did for us. Everything is now changed. The kingdom that was previously only in heaven now reigns here on earth. We are commissioned and also empowered. Let us live in the victory of the Passover. 

The power gifts are spiritual tools that "do something". This session covers the gift of faith, the gifts of healings and the working of miracles, providing examples of how Jesus and the apostles used them. Now it's our turn. Let's use these "power tools" for God's glory, for the benefit of all.

Today is Easter Sunday and Pastor Andy Elmes delivers his Easter message. He refers to what Jesus did on the cross for us all 2000 years ago and quotes 1 Corinthians 15, 12-22 (NIV) “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive”.

So this Resurrection Sunday is most crucial because if there had been no resurrection our hope in Christ would have been in vain. But no other person who claimed to be God or a Messiah made to it through the grave conquering death as Jesus did. Only our Lord can cause the dry bones in our lives to be risen to newness.

Job 19:25 (NIV) says “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth”. Job stated these words in a time of trouble, confusion and despair, but he knows that his redeemer lives. Do we know our redeemer and do we know that he lives? Our redeemer saved us and brought us back to life, not just this Easter day but every day. He paid the price for our sins in that divine exchange on the cross. We are now righteous in His sight because of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. Are we ready for His second coming?, do we know Him as we should? Pastor Andy ends his message by praying for all those listening and watching that they may know the risen Jesus Christ. Amen!

The utterance gifts are spiritual tools that "say something". This session covers prophecy, different kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues, clarifying what these spiritual gifts are - and what they are not. Find out how to use these gifts, which God has given for the benefit of all, both within the church and in our lives personally.

This week is My Story Sunday. Pastor Andy interviews a member of our Portsmouth congregation whose life has been transformed from a ‘religious’ view of a ‘distant god’ to a personal relationship with our Lord and Father. Two other congregational members give their stories as well, illustrating how their lives have been transformed by God and how they have come to know Him as their saviour. 

The word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, and the discerning of spirits are spiritual gifts that reveal something. Discover how these gifts were used by Jesus and the apostles, and how we can use them today.