The Normal Radical

Whose crown is it anyway? 11th September 2016 The Normal Radical

Normal Radical – So far… The adventure continues… Called to live our Normal lives Radically. Our values are as radical today as when we first discovered them Rediscover, revise, recommit & reapply the values then review and reconstruct the expressions Permission to de- & re-construct expressions

3 articles from last week’s fake newsletter What did you feel was ‘wrong’? Write on flip chart Some responses will be - I find it offensive - It just feels wrong (can’t explain why) - It wouldn’t please God

What bothered you? Tanzania Appeal We need to respond to the latest disaster in Tanzania. Everyone is expected to come ready to give sacrificially next Sunday 11th September. We need to raise £20,000 and if everyone gives £200 we will have reached the target. A team has been set up to go and offer first aid. Are you planning a holiday? Maybe you should consider cancelling and coming to serve where the real need is. Key question we kept coming back to during last conference Most impact on Claudia

What bothered you? State-of-the-art noise-reduction technology Disruption during the meeting from noisy children is now a thing of the past. We have recently invested in a top-of-the-range soundproof box for use on Sunday mornings. Situated at the back of the hall, it can hold up to 50 children (standing) and is fully air-conditioned for their comfort. The box will operate on a first come first served basis, so families should arrive early to secure their child’s place and avoid missing the meeting. Please note that babies will be given priority as they make the most noise.

What bothered you? Young people have it too easy these days! Our young people shouldn’t be lazing around during holiday times. Let’s give them some good opportunities to serve. The harder and dirtier the work the better! Hardship builds character. Talk to Derek Stubbings to arrange placements.

What bothered you? We don’t work in Tanzania You can’t demand my money Tanzania Appeal We don’t work in Tanzania You can’t demand my money It is more practical to pay for specialist to go I haven’t been involved in the decision We need to respond to the latest disaster in Tanzania. Everyone is expected to come ready to give sacrificially next Sunday 11th September. We need to raise £20,000 and if everyone gives £200 we will have reached the target. A team has been set up to go and offer first aid. Are you planning a holiday? Maybe you should consider cancelling and coming to serve where the real need is.

What bothered you? State-of-the-art noise-reduction technology Have we got the money, space & logistics to bring in this equipment It’s not very politically correct What will the Newspapers say?! This might upset our people Disruption during the meeting from noisy children is now a thing of the past. We have recently invested in a top-of-the-range soundproof box for use on Sunday mornings. Situated at the back of the hall, it can hold up to 50 children (standing) and is fully air-conditioned for their comfort. The box will operate on a first come first served basis, so families should arrive early to secure their child’s place and avoid missing the meeting. Please note that babies will be given priority as they make the most noise.

What bothered you? Young people have it too easy these days! Our young people shouldn’t be lazing around during holiday times. Let’s give them some good opportunities to serve. The harder and dirtier the work the better! Hardship builds character. Talk to Derek Stubbings to arrange placements. Our young people should be free to focus on education This would meet the labour needs we have in the church What if our young people don’t want to serve?! Sounds like a hassle to organise

No monkey business He would say… ‘I don’t know, that’s just what we do around here’. This series is all about de- & re-constructing our expressions. We don’t want anymore ‘monkey business’ – where we do what we have been taught without knowing the reasons why. So there is one key question to ask ourselves… What pleases Him?

“What pleases Him?” There are many reasons to object to the newsletter which have nothing to do with pleasing Him but other pressures. Lordship of Christ is absolute foundation. If you want to know why we do what we do it should track back to – What God wants. Not what the people want - Not what is easiest - Not what is ‘practical’ - Not what is PC - Not what is popular in our culture This has to be our guiding question in our de- & re-construction Claudia + Next Wave Conference

Game On Feeding Time 6 volunteers 2 from each section. Which partner should have the crown? Crown will be feeder Feeder is blindfolded & spun. They have to collect spoonful of yogurt from bowl and run it over to the Fed who will be wearing black bin bag Resources – 3 black sacks, blindfolds, crowns, bowls of custard, spoons, cups of water & cleaning stuff Prefer to be in control rather than someone else feed me. We like to be in control Feeding Time

You have a crown All humanity has been given a crown. Given power of free will, of choice. Crown = power, authority, control, influence, power to please It’s nice to have a crown, to be in control

Whose crown is it anyway? God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. Eph 1:20-22 (MSG) Rev 4 talks about some guys who have crowns. the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Rev 4:10-11 But these guys in Rev 4 choose to give their crown to Him. But why? Do you owe someone your crown? If you accept God has put Jesus is charge of all, what does this mean for you?

Life without a crown I’m taking my life out of my own hands and placing in God’s hands What if He tells me to do something I don’t wanna do?

“But I don’t wanna!” I’m going to give you 12 questions When you hear a statement that you just won’t do say ‘But I don’t wanna’ and sit down.

“But I don’t wanna” You’re on your way out the door and just before you hand the baby back to your spouse he fills his nappy. Stay to change? You’re in the Lidl checkout line and you see a new counter open up. Tell the customer in front of you? You just got in from a tiring day’s work and you see a pile of washing up to do. Slap on your marigolds? Massage Wilco’s feet? Worship time is dragging and you find your mind is wondering. Push yourself to engage?

“But I don’t wanna” Pray for stranger with a limp on the crowded train? Challenge the way your teacher/boss is treating a student/employee? Poldark is just starting when your mobile rings. It’s talkative Terry. Pick up the call? Receive a challenge which has offended you? Give away your mobile to someone in need? Attentively listen to the whinger’s story? Help Nathan de-nit his hair?

Life without a crown I’m taking my life out of my own hands and placing in God’s hands What if He tells me to do something I don’t wanna do? He could crush me! I threw a wobble this week when I felt God ask me do something I didn’t want to do. I came up with all the excuses Maybe He didn’t say it He hasn’t built me for such an assignment I could do something similar…(offer a concession) Ultimately I was scared what he was asking me to do would leave me vulnerable What if it doesn’t work out the way I want it to

Why should I give Jesus my crown? 3. He was crushed for me 2. He has to be the king and I the servant He isn’t an ‘add on’. He is Lord of ALL or NOTHING AT ALL

Distance from Earth to Sun Thickness of 1 sheet of paper

Stack of paper 70 feet high Earth to nearest star (other than Sun) Stack of paper 70 feet high

Stack of paper 310 miles high Diameter of Galaxy Stack of paper 310 miles high

He upholds the universe by the word of his power. Hebrews 1:3 He upholds the universe by the word of his power.

Why should I give Jesus my crown? 3. He was crushed for me 2. He has to be the king and I the servant 1. God has made Him Lord of all He isn’t an ‘add on’. We don’t invite God in to our lives to be our secretary. He doesn’t slip neatly into our lives – my life has to be completely reconstructed to suit Him. It is a total revolution He is Lord of ALL or NOTHING AT ALL

“What pleases Him?” We serve the holder of the crown

Empowered to live a surrendered life Power to choose So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (Gal 5:16) Assured He has my back Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Mat 6:33) He can change my heart For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him (Phil 2:13) Get the best deal My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. (John 10:10) Unbeatable For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength (Phil 4:13) Power of choice That’s ok, you don’t have to want to but you can choose to and look to God to change your internal objection! I didn’t want to include or revise Free to choose to obey Him

Is the expression of our values relevant? Is it ok that… That some in church don’t belong to families? We ‘do’ outreach at the hub? I have spare rooms whilst others are squashed Organising meals may become systematic? I don’t have open car insurance? We don’t expect people to turn up uninvited? These radical values have become boring? What is the question we need to ask in all of this?

“What pleases Him?” We serve the holder of the crown

Story Time

Story Time I forbid her to die ½ my salary will be yours As I held the bowl of vomit They sent their children to the worst school The prayer meeting = cleaning party We dug a big hole and buried a car John’s neighbour will be splattered in blood Locked in a cupboard during a riot Enough jam to bathe in …And so they threw us out of the church I wanted to cut the book of James out of the bible He slept across the doorway to protect the girls Jungle + Broken down taxi - Phone Her bed doubled up as her desk The UNKNOWN man became richer whilst we became poorer God wears out carpets

Whose crown is it anyway? It’s time to lay your crown at His feet. Prep for activation in this series – Make this question the most important and then you will be part of the de- & re-construction team. Son, daughter – it’s time to give that crown over to me. It isn’t working. You are plagued by anxiety. You are exhausted trying to collect everything you need. It’s time to please me