One Church Gloucester

Ephesians - Who you are & what you carry

Build and Fight - This isn't about domination - it's about transformationSo we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart. But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the labourers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.” Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.” Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes. ”When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work. From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armour. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other. Nehemiah 4:6-17You were created to serve GodYou were saved to serve GodYou are called to serve GodYou are commanded to serve GodWe fight with prayerWe fight with the word of GodWe fight mindset patterns not peopleWe fight with kindnessWe fight with generosityWe fight with the love of Jesus

Ephesians. Part 5 Paul's prayer for you from Chapter 3I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians Chapter 2 Embracing your new home - You are the Church"That's plain enough, isn't it? You're no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You're no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He's using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he's using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home."Ephesians 2v19-22 (from "The Message" paraphrase)Build togetherBuild His HouseBuild His Kingdom

Ephesians - Who you are & what you carryYes but ...... God, even though you were dead because of your sinsHe gave you life life when he raised Christ Jesus

Ephesians - Who you are & what you carryPart 2: Awareness leads to accessI pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the HOPE to which he has called you...I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know ... the riches of his glorious inheritance in his Holy place...I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know ... the immeasurable greatness of his POWER towards us who believe, according to the working of his great mightGod, please open my eyes toYour hopemy worthyour power

Ephesians - Who you are & what you carryPart 1 - You are chosenWhen, Why, WhatWhen - For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sightWhy - In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and willWhat - When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy SpiritDon't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Romans 12v2 (from The Message)

Our best chapter hasn't been written yetGod must build deep within you in order to build something significant around you"When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before..." Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." Joshua 3 (NIV)3 things we need to do:Consecrate ourselves = a) repentance, b) preparation, c) dedicationFollow the presence - in the New Testament His presence is now living in us (the Holy Spirit is the expert within)Anticipate something amazing

God is the God of the "high"s and the "low"sFor this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy: “I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged." Isaiah 57 v15"He became what we are that we might become what he is"Saint Athanasius of Alexandria,

B.L.E.S.S. Part 5 Share your storyA changed Life does has evidential value, because Christianity doesn't just claim that there is a God out there, the Bible says that God is personal and relational. An experience of God should be expected, felt or heard in a way that you can grasp. William Lane Craig

B.L.E.S.S. 4 - ServeCalled to Serve

B.L.E.S.S. Part 3 Eat

B.L.E.S.S. 2 - ListenPlease forgive us - this is very (very) much shortened because we ran out of time after the Baptismal part of the service.

B.L.E.S.SBegin with prayerListenEatServeShare your storyPrayer aligns us with God's agendaWe trade our perspective for His

For crying out aloud We need to cry out to JesusShout past the things that are in the way to the one who is The Way

Discipling people in their low momentsBe there

God is looking for a donkey - and you're the donkey!It was tetheredit was inexperiencedit's purpose was unclear

Go Unbound!Am I willing to go where it's uncomfortable?Do I believe Jesus can do what He says He can?Am I unbinding others so they can live in freedom?

Go All in - The Power of a DecisionGod is calling us higher - into higher levels of knowing Him, hearing His voice, intimacy, influence, adventure, being used by Him ....To Go "All In" you can't stay stuck between 2 opinionsChrist is all that He says He is so Go All In to follow Him

Let's Go!" if salvation is the Gift, discipleship is the adventure"Encouragements for what's holding us back:-"I'm too important" - Romans 12v3"I'm too young" - 1 Timothy 4v12"I'm tired - Isaiah 40v31"I'm busy" - Matthew 6v33"I'm afraid" - Isaiah 41v10"I'm hurt" - Romans 8v28..."I'm a failure" - 2 Corinthians 12v9

A serious call that Amos answered"Those who loved me called me out of my sleep and warned me of both the danger I was in, and the opportunity I was missing"God says "All I want is you" and wants us to respond to the call of the Holy Spirit with "...and all I want is you""The presence of prayer is actually a manifestation of our dependence on God. A lack of prayer is a picture of your independence from God"or in other words: "If I pray it's because I need God, and if I don't pray it's because I think I can do very without Him thank you very much!"

Youth Take Over - Age is just a number

Wake Up! "One generation will praise your deeds to another,and tell about your mighty acts" Psalms 145v4

Summer Sundays 3rd August 2025There is a difference between sitting down for a rest, and settling down to stop1. Obedience over the obvious2. Make camp in the strange places3. Build God's thingObedience needs ears more than it needs eyes

Summer Sundays : 1"... let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess - Why? Because God, who made the promise, is trustworthy." Hebrews 10v23The promise is goodThe promise giver is good

Relationship Reset - Taste and See that the Lord is good."I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.  Every day I will praise you extol your name for ever and ever..." Psalm 145

Relationship Reset : Part 9 - PersonalityNot Everyone is a hugger - and that's kayThe Church needs your personality / your flavour - to play your roleYou are not a problem to God, you are his child.

Relationship Reset - Friendship "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 NIV"Forgiveness wasn't Christ's ultimate goal on the cross. Reconciliation was. And there's an important difference, Reconciliation, literally means "the restoration of friendship". It doesn't just say, okay, things are right between us now, you can move on your life without debt, reconciliation says, Forget what you owe me - I want you, I want what we had before this crisis. I want your presence in its fullness being fully enjoyed by me as I'm fully enjoyed by you. I've sorted what's owed? Forget that? Now you can truly know feel and experience how much I love and celebrate you. And you can know me as that father again. - This is the gospel and how incredible it is - that God hasn't just forgiven us, He's fully restored our place at his table of friendship forever. It is stunning that we might be called, friends of God."Strahan Coleman - Beholding (ISBN-13: 9780830785186)

FaithThe Power of Collaboration(and the pain of being overlooked)

Relationship Reset - Part 5 ParenthoodMary & Joseph lost Jesus for three days, you're not doing that bad!

Relationship Reset :- Part 6 - We Love GloucesterTogether with some of the some of the teams

Relationship Reset - Part 5 - God Centred MarriagesGod Centred MarriagesRespond to the call of GodReject compromiseReaffirm covenant

Relationship Reset: Part 4 - SinglenessIt's a myth that to be single is to be second best

Relationship Reset: Part 3 - UnfriendedComparison destroys contentmentCoveting breeds contentionCriticism crushes connection

Relationship Reset: Part 2 - Small TalkSurface level isn't satisfying, we are wired for depthFear often masks as politenessSmall talk may help 'set the table' but it's your choice to sit downWho in this church knows knows the real you beyond your sunday smile?What intentional steps can we take this week to invest in our relationships?Who can you invite to the table?

Relationship Reset - A Guide to love, friendship and familyPart 1: PlantedIt matters that we are planted, and the best place is the House of the Lord

Say what you seeAre you seeing it?Are you saying it?Ps107Let those delivered by the Lord speak out (v2a)... and loudly proclaim what he has done (v22)Ps 145v 4 One generation will praise your deeds to another, and tell about your mighty acts.

3 Days that changed everything - From Death to LifeThe WinIn Christ we have the victoryIf Jesus did NOT rise from the dead our faith is futile and we are to be most pitied, BUT he did, Jesus Christ is ALIVE what else accounts for:Jesus was crucified on the crossThe Empty TombThe eye witnesses that saw him - they couldn't be told that they didn'tThe disciples went from being in hiding to being emboldenedThe rapid spread of the church full of people who would rather face death rather than simply deny that they had seen Jesus

3 Days that changed everything - from death to lifeThe RugDuring the song at the start of today's message we see people bringing boxes that represent things they want to keep hidden and hide them under The Rug on the platform.During the song at the end of the message the same people take their boxes from under the rug and place them at the foot of the cross

3 Days that changed everything - from death to lifeDay 2 - WaitWaiting is never wastedWait with worshipWait with preparationWait with expectation“If the Lord makes us wait, let us do so with our whole hearts; for blessed are all they that wait for Him. He is worth waiting for. The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes. The Lord's people have always been a waiting people.”― Charles H. Spurgeon"Waiting" in the Bible often reflects a deep-seated belief in God's faithfulness and sovereignty

3 Days that changed everything - from death to lifeDay 1 - Gethsemane - Watch and Pray"Watch and pray so that you do not fall into temptation"

Please note - Simon walks onto the platform and starts his talk being followed by two unknown people. Listen and all will be revealed.

The Lord bless you and keep you;the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.Numbers 6:24-26

Persistence in PrayerBe a Psalm 91 person

Pray on PurposeProximityPerspectivePower

Prayer - the Promise PatternPrayer is going to the source"For every one of God's promises are “Yes” in him..." 2 Corinthians 1:20

A fruit of fasting : EnduranceFasting helps us consider Jesus' endurance

What we hunger - we will be filled by

Activate your faith by actioning your talentPrayer of St. Brendan the Navigator'Help me to journey beyond the familiarand into the unknown.Give me the faith to leave old waysand break fresh ground with You.Christ of the mysteries, I trust Youto be stronger than each storm within me.I will trust in the darkness and knowthat my times, even now, are in Your hand.Tune my spirit to the music of heaven,and somehow, make my obedience count for You.'

"The meaning of prayer and fasting is that we get hold of God, not the answer." Oswald Chambers

A Biblical Approach to Money Careful not careless Strategic not haphazard Controlled not impulsive Visionary not short-sighted Generous to a fault God can do anything with what we put in his hands. "Earn all you can Save all you can Give all you can" John Wesley