"FridayReflection"
15th December 2023
Community Church Huddersfield offers
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Jesus, Pioneer of Our Faith
In Hebrews 12:2 we are encouraged to
"fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith" and to "consider him".
So what is a pioneer?
The dictionary refers to a pioneer as being "a person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area."
Pioneers go first, they go ahead of others.
Jesus was the first to do things in a new way.
400 years after the last writings in the Old Testament, Jesus comes to a nation living under the old covenant.
He comes to a nation awaiting a Messiah who would come and fight for them.
But Jesus comes and presents a gospel that is full of love and grace.
A gospel that doesn't abolish all the old laws but actually fulfills them and brings life.
A gospel that is available to ALL people.
And so, in doing this, Jesus sets the example of how to live and proclaim this gospel, the Kingdom of God, to all around us.
We are called to follow and imitate Jesus.
But we can look at Jesus' example and think it's unattainable.
He is Emmanuel, God with us.
Jesus gave up his divine privileges.
The English standard version says he "emptied himself"
He laid down his rights and his power to come and dwell among men.
To live like us and to show us how to live.
And this is how we know we can imitate him - It IS possible.
He lived as a man, not as a God.
He wasn't a genie, he had no superpowers. He just lived as a simple man.
And when I understand this (not how it works - that boggles my mind)
but when I read the four gospels and I understand that Jesus was 100% man I see an example to follow.
I realise that he has been there.
Jesus may not have had the exact circumstances but he's been through all the emotions, the struggles, the temptations.
Now that we know what we have - Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God - let's not let it slip through our fingers.
We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality.
He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all - all but the sin.
So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give.
Take the mercy, accept the help.
And so I wonder how did he do it, and as I look I see a man that was in full communion with the Father and moving in the power of the Holy Spirit.
This is the key for us.
But we have to follow every example he gave, not just the "exciting" stuff.
Here are some of the things Jesus did to be in full communion with the Godhead
He spent time fasting.
He spent time studying the word. He spent time in silence and solitude. He spent time in community.
He practised sabbath and lived a simple life.
He spent time at the temple worshipping with others.
He spent time on the mountain top praying,
Jesus spent 30 years preparing himself for 3 years of ministry.
He went where the Holy Spirit moved him to go not where society told him to.
He lived a life of obedience and worship.
This is how he did it. This is how he lived his life.
So we should ask ourselves how do we want to live our lives?
Do we want to do the things that Jesus did?
Do we want to see God's kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven?
If our answer is yes, then it's not enough to long for the outworkings of what Jesus did - we have to give ourselves to the inworkings
The things that bring us closer to relationship with him -
It will require sacrifice, it will require change
But I believe it's what we are called to as the church of Jesus Christ.
It is do-able.
If Jesus did it so can I.
This is an edited version.
The full article and Bible references are avaiable on request
Community Church Huddersfield
emerged out of the house church or restoration movement of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
New Life Church, as it was then known, was formed in the mid-80s.
In those early years, the church met in several hired buildings for congregational meetings including the Brian Jackson Centre and on the University of Huddersfield campus.
In 1996, a warehouse was bought in Paddock and was transformed into the Jubilee Centre.
Trevor Lloyd came to lead the church in 1998.
God gave to him and his wife, Alison, a vision based on Ezekiel 47, of a river of life flowing from a place of worship and transforming the community it flowed into.
The priority of worship and the vision for community transformation have always been central to the church from its beginning.
Contact the Rector
The Revd.Nic.Edwards
The Rectory,
Church Lane,
BUGBROOKE,
Northampton,
NN7 3PB
Land Line: 01604 - 815496
(Can be accessed from the mobile device)
Mobile: .....
E-mail:
thebeneficeofbhkandr at gmail dot com
Contact the Benefice Office
Sunday School Rooms, Church Lane,
BUGBROOKE, Northampton, NN7 3PB
Land Line: 01604 830373
E-mail:
thebeneficeofbhkandr at gmail dot com
Mon., Tues., Wed,, Thur., Fri.
9:00am to 11:30am
For Baptism bookings (Christenings)
to arrange an appointment please contact
the Benefice Office.
For Wedding bookings:
please contact the Benefice Office to arrange
an appointment.
Who Made This?
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