With reference to our feelings to authority figures, Martin unpacks the challenge of the negative impact of the law. The law reminds us of what we have done wrong and where we have failed. It draws attention to the very thing that keeps us from God. The law was given to help God’s people live distinctively and reveals God’s light to others. Yet the interpretation by people actually imprisoned them instead. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, breaking us free from the twisted perspective of God’s law. Following the law alone is not enough to bring us into loving relationship with the Father. Only knowing Christ can truly set us free.

Freedom #12

Romans 8:1-17

Martin Ceaser

Sunday 9th August

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We all have stuff and we’re made to think we need even more. Does life get better or does it just get more cluttered? There is more to life than the things we own. But the thing that we treasure most will be the thing we chase after. What does it mean to be rich when chasing after God? Seeking his presence, his gifts, his power, his truth, his love, his perspective, his grace. Simply put, seeking him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. Our stuff can imprison us but Jesus wants to set us free from the power of possessions. Security doesn’t come from what we have but from who we know!

Freedom #11

Matthew 6:19-24

Martin Ceaser

Sunday 2nd August

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We’ve had a fantastic week at Holiday Bible Club with 200+ kids filling the church every morning, exploring the story of Jonah. The HBC team take us through the story, with complimentary memory verses and songs, and Martin unpacks each daily verse in 3 minutes or less! Strap in for something a bit different this week…

Holiday Bible Club finale

Jonah 1-4

Martin Ceaser, Ellen Andrews and Mike Sladen

Sunday 26th July

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Gareth unpacks the experiences of the Ephesian people as Paul taught them not to live as the Gentiles did. He challenged their thought processes, their knowledge and their understanding. The Ephesians had to relearn what they had been taught – it was a lie and not the truth. The believers there had to face the challenge to be different. They were called to live by a different standard. As Romans 12 tells us, they were to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. How can we be transformed, putting on our new self in the week ahead? Our choice of words matter – to speak truth while still building others up.

Freedom #10

Ephesians 4:17-5:2

Gareth Godfrey

Sunday 19th July

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This week we look at how people respond to discovering who Jesus is, through the lens of Simon Peter and the miraculous catch of fish. Jesus borrowed his boat to use it as a pulpit, then turned to a tired, expert fisherman and told him how to do his job. That Simon Peter obeyed is almost as remarkable as what happened. Knowing the truth about Jesus sets us free. He can and does meet us in the everyday stuff of life. How will you react when you discover who Jesus really is – and are you willing to follow him as a result?

Freedom #9

Luke 5:1-11

Martin Ceaser

Sunday 12th July

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Beginning with a rather dramatic story about a wasps nest, this week’s talk from Cliff explores freedom from fear. We all experience fears – from the obvious to the unusual and even the fear of fear itself – and it can be crippling to our lives. It can be something positive but usually it merely limits or traps us. God wants us to be free of fear, in the knowledge that we are loved. In the Bible, stories about fear often end up being replaced with something good. We need to work through our fears into something good, knowing God has good in store for us all. Knowing Jesus and his love is the answer to all fears.

Freedom #8

1 John 4:16-18

Cliff Andrews

Sunday 5th July

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This week – while many of the church family are away together at Church Camp – Martin speaks on the latest of our “knowing the truth and the truth shall set you free” series. How do we love others, loving our neighbour as ourselves? To love others we need to actually love who we are first. It’s not about only wanting the best for ourselves but knowing that we are loved unconditionally, first. In this knowledge, we can then love others – our neighbours, our friends, our family and those around us. Do we know who are neighbours are (hint: it’s anyone in need!) and how we can truly love them as God intended?

Freedom #7

Matthew 22:34-40

Martin Ceaser

Sunday 28th June

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This Father’s Day, Ellen helps us to explore what it means to have freedom to be a child of God as well as having freedom because we are children of God too. We all have different experiences of our earthly fathers but God is the perfect father. What does it mean to be childlike – having humility, submitting to him, approaching him whenever and however we are. God accepts us just as we are and invites us to come to him. Confidently and without fear. What do you expect from your relationship with your heavenly Father?

Freedom #6 (Father’s Day)

Mark 10:13-16 / Luke 15:11-32

Ellen Andrews

Sunday 21st June

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This week we are joined by Ully from Compassion UK to share about their work supporting children out of extreme poverty through child sponsorship. With reference to some of the stories of lives changed around the world, Ully unpacks some of the Sermon on the Mount – the radical manifesto of Jesus for his followers and all who are curious. We are called to be light, bringing out the God colours in the world. We reflect God’s likeness to others encouraging them to seek him too. Meeting Christ leads to transformation – and we will never be the same again. Be prepared to be moved… with compassion!

Compassion UK

Matthew 5:1-16

Ully-Lange Orobor

Sunday 14th June

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We return to our series on Freedom this week, with a focus on Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman. Just by talking to her Jesus was breaking barriers – of race, gender and morality. Then he challenged the idea that worship should be restricted to one place. Worship is a relationship and not a location. We are made to worship something but called to worship God alone – a combination of heart, mind, soul and strength. Worship is the outflowing of the previous week and the infilling for the week to come. How is what you are doing today offering worship to God?

Freedom #5

John 4:19-24

Martin Ceaser

Sunday 7th June

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