Monday Spot (2nd February 2009)
The meetings this Sunday were led by Majors Beverley and Drew McCombe and both included the Missionary Appeal presentation.
Majors Drew and Beverley McCombe
The theme for the morning meeting was ‘Follower of Jesus’ and also included the dedication of baby Mia. The Scripture portion Mark 10: 13-16 was used during the dedication service and the special dedication Song 795 was helpful. Some photos of the dedication appear at the bottom of this post. Other songs used included: Song 862, SoF721, SoF1120, and Song 283. The Singing Company‘s contribution to the meeting was ‘Peace and Love’ and the Songsters song ‘With all my heart’ was an appeal to serve God. Mark reported on the result of a review of the youth activities. A new programme has been devised involving a 4-week cycle of topics with three Friday nights planned as a house group with a meal, group activity, Bible study and prayer. On the fourth week the activity will take place on the Sunday at 11.15 when there will be guest speakers, workshops or field trips. Invitations were given for young people over 13 to join this group and prayer was requested for its success.
The message was based on Matthew 4:18-22 and Major Drew asked the question ‘Who are you following?’, not in terms of football teams but as leader of your life. He said we are in danger of diluting what it means to follow Jesus. He explored the reason why Andrew, James and John left their livelihood and followed Jesus. Jesus was a Jewish Rabbi. Drew explained how children were taught the first five books of the Bible by the local rabbi and memorised them. Some would have been apprenticed to a trade but the best would go on to memorise the Old Testament as it was known in those days. The best would apply to be a rabbi’s disciples. They would be grilled on what they had learned and only the best would leave their family and go to follow the rabbi. For Jesus to call Andrew, James and John to follow Him was therefore something very special. He said by implication that they were the best of the best. You can be like me. That’s why they left their nets and followed Him. We too can be the best of the best as Jesus calls us to follow Him and will make us fishers of men. He will add value to our lives as we follow Him.
The Contagious Christianity course got off to a good start at 3.30pm. Even though the snow had begun to fall outside about 20 people turned up to join in the study.
Contagious Christianity begins
The evening meeting was led by Major Beverley continuing the theme of ‘Model of Mission.’ This week looking at ‘Keeping the right company.’ Songs used included Song 48, SOF1607, SOF1404, SOF1015, Song 833, Song 463 with the Chorus of Song 830 drawing the evening to a close. Scriptures used were 2 Cor 5: 17-19 and Mark 2:13-17. The Songsters song ‘Tell all the people’ drew attention to the need to evangelise. The Band‘s contribution was ‘I love you Lord’.
Major Beverley said that God is continually reaching out to us in reconciliation and He gives us the job of doing that too. He has given us a new song and changed the centre of our being. She said that if we considered why people spent time together it could be that they want to influence them and help them in some way. Referring to the Scripture, she said that the Pharisees condemned Jesus because of the time He spent with tax collectors and sinners. In their opinion, it was because He approved of their lifestyle because they were separatists and did not approve of mixing with other types of people. Major Beverley asked if we were more like the Pharisees or more like Jesus? When Jesus called Matthew to follow Him, Matthew responded wholeheartedly. He held a party for his friends to introduce Jesus to them.
The first mission lesson is that we can’t invite our friends to meet Jesus until we know Him ourselves. The second lesson of mission is that Matthew wanted to tell the people he knew about Jesus once he had met Him. We can all do this and invite people to our homes. God’s nature is to search for sinners not to avoid them. Major Beverley asked us to consider whether we penetrated the world around us for Christ – on a personal or Corps level?
We’ve had a challenging start to our week, both in spiritual terms and in terms of weather. May God bless you and keep you in His care.
Here are some pictures from Mia’s dedication.
Parents Sarah and Andrew with baby Mia Slater, Major Drew McCombe and godparents Luke and Sara.