Lee Street Church
Notes of on-line meeting held on 26th April 2020
We welcomed about 22 people on-line, including our speaker Stephen Neill from Fetcham.
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Sue led the worship time, with encouragement for these difficult times. She reminded us of the words of an old song:
“God has not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God has not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
God has not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He has not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.
But God has promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labour, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love”
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Reading from Psalm 63 v 1 - 8
“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. “
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Psalm121 v 1 – 2
“I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
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Psalm 108 v 1 – 4
My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens and let your glory be over all the earth.
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Psalm 146 v 5 – 8
“Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— the Lord who remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.”
In the dry and weary land
Lord, You are the rain
In a sea of shattered ones
Your love comes rushing in
You hold the world within Your hands
And see each tear that falls
Through every fire and every storm
You're always enough, always enough
Your love is peace to the broken
Faith for the widow
Hope for the orphan
Strength for the weak
Your love is the anthem of nations
Rings out through the ages
And You're always enough for me
In the watches of the night
Lord, You are my song
Hope is in the morning light
Your love shines like the dawn
You keep my heart in perfect peace
My life is in Your hands
When confusion hides my way
You're always enough, always enough
Your love is peace to the broken
Faith for the widow
Hope for the orphan
Strength for the weak
Your love is the anthem of nations
Rings out through the ages
And You're always enough for me
I'll rejoice for my Saviour reigns
I'll rejoice for He lives in me
God on high, He has set me free
And worthy is the Lord
I'll rejoice for my Saviour reigns
I'll rejoice for He lives in me
God on high, He has set me free
And worthy is the Lord
Your love is peace to the broken
Faith for the widow
Hope for the orphan
Strength for the weak
Your love is the anthem of nations
Rings out through the ages
And You're always enough for me
I'll rejoice for my Saviour reigns
I'll rejoice for He lives in me
God on high, he has set me free
And worthy is the Lord
In the dry and weary land
Lord, You are the rain
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Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God, my Saviour has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace
The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures
My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God, my Saviour has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God, Who called me here below
Will be forever mine
Will be forever mine
You are forever mine -
Breaking of Bread
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Thinking of the price paid by Christ, 2Corinthians 8:9 says “ though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich”; and Philippians 2: 8 reminds us “being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross”.
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At the Passover meal, Jesus had given them an instruction as he took bread, gave thanks and broke it – Luke22:19 “do this in remembrance of me”
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The early church understood this after the resurrection, and we read of them meeting together in their homes to Break bread together.
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So we shared in our homes the Bread and Wine (or suitable substitutes)
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Some thoughts from Stephen’s talk
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Before His ascension, Jesus last recorded instructions to his disciples were: ”You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. (Acts 1: 8)
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New terms come into use recently in relation to Covid-19 – “self isolation”, ”social distancing”, “super-spreaders”.
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Looking today at Philip’s role in obeying Jesus’ instructions.
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First read of him in Acts 6: 5 where he is one of the seven chosen to support the work of the apostles as the church grew.
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After persecution against the church in Jerusalem, the apostles scattered themselves in Judea, and Philip himself went to preach in Samaria. His preaching and healing ministry there produced great joy in the city. (Acts 8: 4 – 8)
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But God had other plans for Philip (Read Acts 8:26-40 ).
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God’s plans often differ from human logic – He had planned a divine appointment for Philip. (cf. God having allowed Covid-19 to affect the country, but through it many more people are now hearing the gospel through on-line messaging and streaming).
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Philip is told by an angel to go south, past Jerusalem, on to the Gaza road – which he does immediately.
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On his journey, he meets an Ethiopian eunuch who was reading the book of Isaiah as he returned home by chariot from a visit to Jerusalem.
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Philip is eager to meet him and runs up to the chariot.
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The eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53: 7 – 8, and Philip was able to explain the good news about Jesus (Acts 8:35)
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Note that the Ethiopian had a spiritual hunger which God met by sending Philip to meet him.
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How ready and willing are we to share the gospel with others when the opportunities arise?
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How well do we know the scriptures to be able to share them with others?
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Having believed, he immediately wanted to be baptised – and in the desert God provided water!
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When did I last confess Christ? Romans 10: 9 reminds us “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”
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The eunuch went on his way rejoicing in his new-found salvation.
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The Spirit of the Lord took Philip away immediately, back to Azotus and Caesarea – his mission accomplished. His obedience led to the gospel being taken into Africa. When we obey God, great things happen.
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Questions for us – how open are we to respond to the Spirit’s direction? Am I ready to come alongside people who are searching for God? Is it my aim to be a “super-spreader” of God’s word today?