Freedom Church Chester

Sunday, 15 October 2017 | Keith Cooper Keith preaches today from Chapter 4 of the book of Romans. A key theme in this chapter is that “Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Paul here gives examples (in the form of Abraham and Kind David) of the way in which justification works. The kind of people God declares to be righteous are people of faith. Abraham was justified in Christ by faith, even before the time Christ’s sacrifice had occurred. Everyone at every point in history must come to God in the same way, through the same door. It helps to understand this passage by thinking of “family”. God is the gracious parent who gives us much though we have nothing of value to give in return.

Sunday, 8 October 2017 | Paul Jackson As David Pawson says, the cross is a double substitution. Not only did Christ receive our sin, we received his righteousness. Those who are in Christ are completely righteous. There is no need to strive or to attempt to achieve holiness through our own efforts. Paul Jackson continues our study in Romans, where we see the Apostle Paul stating that neither Jew nor Gentile is superior. All are under sin. None has a reason to boast. And all can be saved. By way of historical background, the then emperor Claudius tired of the Jews fighting over Christ, and banished them from Rome. This left the church in Rome solely comprised of Gentiles. Later the Jews returned, and their differing views brought conflict between Jewish and Gentile Christians. Conflict, which the Apostle determines to set aside.

Sunday, 1 October 2017 | Shirley Bowen, of CAP “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” (Jesus, in Luke 4:18-19, quoting the prophet Isaiah.) Do we as a church display the radical love Christ showed? Do we hang out with sinners and outcasts? Do we preach good news to the poor? Bind up the broken-hearted? Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” We represent Jesus to the world. And the mission of the unchanged Christ remains the same. Shirley Bowen, an ambassador for CAP who has been with the debt relief charity for six years, explains how exists to help the church as it fulfil its mission. Shirley started as a CAP Money Coach; she’s now one of a dozen or so speakers who visit churches talking about the mission of CAP. “God can move mountains,

Sunday, 24 September 2017 | Keith Cooper God chose Israel so they could be a light to the world, but they broke his law, pursuing idols and making a fake display of piety. Others see this sort of hypocrisy and use it as a reason to blaspheme God. What we do in our personal lives matter; it is ultimately reflected in our public lives. We cannot suppress it. People see through the masks we wear. Religion and self-effort will only lead to empty faith. Our world needs authenticity. God has a solution to all this! The Holy Spirit can change our hearts, transforming us on the inside to conform ever more closely to his will for us. To find out more, listen as Keith preaches on Romans 2:17-29.

Sunday, 17 September 2017 | Andy Lawrie We only truly understand God’s righteousness when we understand how unrighteous we are. In Romans 1:18-2:16 we see the case against humankind. The charges: 1. We suppress the truth. 2. We do not honour God. 3. We worship things other than God. 4. We approve of sinful practices.

Sunday, 10 September 2017 | Keith Cooper We’re sitting as jury and as the accused when we approach Romans. We are guilty, as rebellious humans. Here is the only solution to our rebellion, our only defence. This is the gospel of God. This book is essential for understanding sanctification, justification, the deity of Christ and the righteousness of God. This is the gospel that transforms lives. This gospel does the one thing no other power can do: it saves you. Keith preaches from Romans 1:1-17

Sunday, 3 September 2017 | Dave Brown The Holy Spirit is God. He manifests the power of God throughout history. He is a person, not an impersonal force. His work is to point us to Christ and he enables us to understand Christ’s teaching. All Christians have the Holy Spirit living within them. Receiving the Holy Spirit is not an event, howver; it’s a lifestyle of submission. Dave preaches from John 16:5-15

Keith speaking this Sunday from John 15:12-17 Christian love is not a feeling it is an act of the will. The proof of our love is not in our feelings but in our actions. Even to the extent of laying down our lives for Jesus and for others. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 1 John 3:16

Sunday, 20 August 2017 | Sharon Pomeroy | But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” [Isaiah 43:1 (ESV)] | We can be confident in God's calling because his promises are steadfast and true. Therefore, we can be sure that what he calls us to do and to be, he WILL accomplish.

Sunday, 13 August 2017; Andy Lawrie [ John 15:1-15 ] As branches grafted into the life-bringing Vine, we must produce fruit in keeping with the love Christ has for us. Andy continues our study in John.

Every moment God delays the end of all things, this is his mercy. Jesus has not yet returned so that the gospel may be preached and many can be saved. This world is no friend to God's grace. But Jesus' plan is to reach the world through the church. It's time for us to own this plan. Keith continues our study in John chapter 14. This week we look at verses 15 to 31.

One day we'll finally be at home with our Creator. This is where true joy is to be found. This hope is our glorious certainty. What then do we have to fear? Keith Cooper preaches from John 14:1-16.

Following his last sermon, God does not make mistakes, Rob focuses on the practical application of the Gospel to disability and special needs. Does the Bible have anything to say on this subject? We particularly find our answer in the following scriptures: Psalm 139:13-16 1 Corinthians 12:14-26 Romans 8:16-20

Modern culture tells us “if it feels right, do it”. This lie ignores the impact our choices have on future generations and how these decisions reverberate into eternity. In his sermon, Andy draws inspiration from the book of Ruth, an historical account of redemption from poor choices. "In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband." Ruth 1:1-5, ESV

God's agenda for us is full of surprises. One of the reason God tests us is not so HE can see how we're growing and maturing, but so that WE can see how we're developing. Does pressure come between you and God? Or press you closer to God? You can entrust your soul to a faithful Creator. Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me." (John 14:1, NIV)

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. John 9:1-7, ESV Rob Pomeroy, himself a father of children with special needs, speaks on the profound application of the gospel to disability. Though life may look chaotic and disastrous, God remains in control. And he does not make mistakes.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Ephesians 1:18-23, NIV Keith concludes a two-part series on spiritual warfare. We’re called to be spiritual warriors and the first principle of spiritual warfare is: fight the right enemy.

‘For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms’. Eph 6:12 We need to realise the truth that our battle is not against flesh and blood. We must become men and women who live with God given authority and win victories at every level. We are called to fight…

Listen to Graham Webb speaking for 2 Corinthians. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Paul Jackson speaking on the Lord's prayer "Pray then like this: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.'" Luke 11:2–4