A Road map of where we are going

Road map Families – good things and responsibilities God’s family - good things and responsibilities Giving, taking and matching You are a priest, you are! What do priests do?

Families

Families Families have lots of good things Love Fun Caring for each other Listening ear Comfort Place of safety Nurturing environment Helping kids grow up Encouragement What should a family be like? Every family should have lots of good things going on

Families Families have responsibilities Providing food Providing shelter & home Emptying the rubbish Making the beds Cooking Cleaning, washing clothes and sheets Paying the bills Living as a Christian family. And families also have responsibilities to make them work properly. What kinds of responsibilities?

Believing means Belonging God’s family Believing means Belonging

Believing means Belonging God’s family People in God’s family have lots of good things People in God’s family have responsibilities too God’s Family has great privileges And also WE as members of God’s family have responsibilities We will be thinking about that today Believing means Belonging

Giving, taking and matching Givers, Takers and matchers (EXPLAIN TERMS) In a family who are the main givers, (parent /parents) who are the takers? He never helps me so why should I help him? I’ll help you if you help me

Giving, taking and matching Matching is where two people do something for each other. DON’T TALK ABOUT GOD HERE

Family Givers Takers Matchers In your family at home, or in your relationships with other people what are you mainly? A giver, a taker or a matcher Givers Takers Matchers

God’s Family Givers Takers Matchers In GOD’S family (We as Church) what are you mainly? Giver, taker or Matcher? Givers Takers Matchers

? Is God A giver A taker or A matcher Does God mainly give to us, mainly take from us, or is He a matcher - If you do this for ME then I’ll do that for you Ask for their ideas

Giving and getting from God God is a GIVER Everything we have and are is given to us by God Breath, life, food, life, people we know Salvation, forgiveness, Holy Spirit, eternal life, relationship with Him He has given all we have, all we are God is a GIVER

Giving and getting from God We are Takers from God Everything we have and are is given to us by God – thank you Breath, life, food, life, people we know Salvation, forgiveness, Holy Spirit, eternal life, relationship with Him He has given all we have, all we are Thank you! OK to be a Taker He wants us to be thankful TAKERS of all He is and All He has given us Specifically thanking him as takers. OK to be a taker – like children receiving food from parents GRACE!!!!!

What does God want from us? Giving Him Love and thanks Giving ourselves to love others Giving obedience “Jesus is LORD” Jesus gave everything for us He said “it is better give than to receive” Does He want us just to be TAKERS? Wants us to be GIVERS back to Him. What can we give God? This is what being a member of His Church is about

Remember this? Giving to God Giving to others Very profound statement Giving not getting

How do we show we belong to God? Giving Obedience to God Believing in Jesus Baptism – starting life as a new family member Communion – showing we are part of each other in the Body of Christ “Do this . . . . to remember me” said Jesus It is a command We eat and drink together - It says “I am part of God’s Family” God gives to us – we give to Him Compare eating a meal together round a table at home

Who are we? And PRIESTS Believers Christians Church Members Disciples & Followers of Jesus And PRIESTS

YOU are a group of holy priests

Holy Priests The Bible speaks of all Christians as priests “a priesthood of all believers” 1 Peter 2:5 You are also a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God. Compare priests in Roman catholic church, Anglican church. This is not Trevor or the Elders – it is all of us. This is you and me! No fancy robes or hats

Holy Priests What does that mean? God has given us a special title and responsibility “You are also a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God.” You will offer sacrifices that please God That’s what priests do Is offering sacrifices giving or taking? GIVING

What kind of sacrifices can we give to God? Give Time in service to others Menial tasks, like . . . Menial tasks like taking out rubbish, tidying up, vacuuming the floor, cleaning toilets, washing cups setting out chairs This is the work of a priest. All these are Priestly sacrifices given to God

What kind of sacrifices can we give to God? Give Time in service to others Serving other people food and drinks if we have a church meal This is the work of a priest

What kind of sacrifices can we give to God? Give Time in service to others Listening to other people and praying with them This is the work of a priest

What kind of sacrifices can we give to God? Give Love to other members looking out for people in need Practical Caring for them Love CARES At the start of a service what do you do? At the end of a service what do you do? Listen – pray – help - love

What kind of sacrifices can we give to God? Give regularly some of our money many Christians already give at least one tenth of their money to God and His work through the Church. Think about it before you give If you plan your family budget – rent or mortgage, SKY , food, clothes Add your giving to God as part of that budget. This means God’s work in Rhyl, in UK and worldwide can carry on Be ready for special needs as you hear about them

What kind of sacrifices can we give to God? Give Service to the Church using our gifts and abilities What are you good at? How has God gifted you? Music, administration, tidying up, putting chairs out , teaching, listening

When you come to church do you come to get something for yourself from God or to give something to other people and to God? In your Christian life in the world Are you mainly a giver or a taker? It should be both – different times, but Giving sacrifices is a vital part of our work as God’s Holy Priests

God wants us to be Takers God is a Giver He gave us His Son His Son gave His own life for us God wants us to be Takers Of His forgiveness Of His gift of Eternal Life And all the Grace He offers us God wants us to be Givers to serve other people and His Church He gave His life for us. First he wants tus to be TAKERS of His salvation. Then He wants us to give all our lives to Him Serving God as a member of His Church is challenging and demanding He calls us to be Givers – and there is a cost – our time our energy our care our money – reaching out to other people in need Jesus has given his life for us. He is calling us to give our lives for him.

Paul said: In everything I did, I showed you that by hard work we must help the weak. Remember the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35