1. CCCNZ 2017 – session 1

2. How do you live as a minority?

3. 3 common approaches

4. 1. Colonisation

5. Make them like us

6. 2. Accomodation

7. Become like them

8. 3. Isolation

9. Have no interaction

10. An alternative model

11. Exile: Jeremiah 29

12. Jeremiah 29 v 4-9
4 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” 8 Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. 9 They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.

13. Jeremiah 29 v 10-14
10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.[b] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

14. Exile ENGAGE: Seek the welfare of the city
WITH HOPE: Remember who you are
GET INVOLVED IN BABYLON BUT DO NOT BECOME BABYLONIAN

15. Romans 12 v 2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

16. 1 Peter 2 v 10-12
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

17. Exile GOD’S PLAN – SEEK HIM GOD’S INTENTION – BRING HIS PEOPLE HOME
GOD’S DESIRE – HIS PEOPLE GROW
(WHAT MAKES GOD HAPPIEST?)
(EARTHLY OR HEAVENLY MINDED?)

18. BABYLON 5 – Saturday am

19. Three lessons

20. Perseverance & the potter

23. The Potter 1. It takes time 2. It is the potter’s work
3.  Keeping going is necessary.
4.  Growth is not linear

24. The flotilla & the fleet

27. Dunkirk 1. May 1940. on day 1 39 destroyers rescue 7699 men.
2.  in next 8 days 800 ships rescue 338,226 allied soldiers
3.  The flotilla and the fleet work together in common cause.
4.  Vision led mission necessitates innovation.

28. The Counter cultural Small group

29. Daniel 3 God’s People in Exile Babylon ruled by Nebuchadnezzar
“Bow down and worship me!”
What are they going to do?

30. Go along with the crowd or stand?

31. The Discipleship Difference.

32. How did this happen? They were doing the right thing.
Bad things happen to good people
In this world we will have trouble
Everyone who wants to live a godly..

33. Shadrach, mesach & Abednego
What is at stake?
Their lives
Absolute truth
Who is God?

34. What they say God is able to save us But if he doesn’t ….
God is still God and you are not!
Not about them.

35. The fiery furnace

36. The fiery furnace The escorting guards are killed
The friends are not alone
Four figures are in the flames
The King is confused, then astounded
The friends are unharmed in every way
God is glorified
There are changes in Babylon

37. The lord stands with his people.

38. 1 Peter 2 v 9-17
9-10 But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.
11-12 Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.
13-17 Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you’re a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.

39. In the world but not of it
“In it, not of it,” the statement was made, As Christian One faced the world much afraid. “In it not of it,” the call was made clear, But Christian One got something stuck in his ear. For “Not in it, or of it” was the thing that he heard, And knowing the world to be strange and absurd, He welcomed the safety of pious retreat, And went to the church lunch for something to eat.

40. In the world but not of it
Now Christian Two, he knew what to do – He’d show those fundies a thing or two. “How will the world ever give Christ a try, If we don’t get in there and identify?” So “In it, and of it,” he said in his car As he pulled in and stopped at a popular bar. “I’ll tell them the truth just as soon as I’m able To get myself out from under this table.”

41. In the world but not of it
Along comes Christian Three, jogging for Jesus, In witnessing sweats made of four matching pieces, His earphones are blasting a hot Christian tune About how the Lord is coming back soon. “Not in it, but of it,” he goes down the hill, And stops in for a bite at the Agape Grill. Like the gold on the chain of his God-loves-you bracelet, He can have the world without having to face it.

42. In the world but not of it
Meanwhile up in heaven they lament these conditions, That come from changing a few prepositions “Not in it, or of it,” Christian One thought, But who in the world will know that he’s not? “In it, and of it,” thought Christian Two, But who in the world will know that he knew? “Not in it, but of it,” thought Christian Three, But who in the world watches Christian TV?

43. In the world but not of it
Jesus turns away, shaking his head “In it, not of it – wasn’t that what I said?”

45. Where are the young men and women of this generation who will hold their lives cheap, and be faithful even unto death? Where are those who will lose their lives for Christ’s sake – flinging them away for love of Him? Where are those who will live dangerously, and be reckless in His service? Where are His lovers – those who love Him and the souls of men more than their own reputations or comfort, or very life?
Where are those who say ‘no’ to self, who take up Christ’s cross to bear it after Him; who are willing to be nailed to it in college or office, home or mission field; who are willing, if need be, to bleed, to suffer and to die on it?
Where are the people of vision today? Where are the men and women of prayer? Where are the men and women who…count God’s Word of more importance to them than their daily food? Where are the leaders who, like Moses of old, commune with God face to face as a person speaks with their friend?. Where are the ones who have seen the King who count all else as refuse that they may win Christ? WHERE ARE THE MEN AND WOMEN OF GOD IN THIS DAY OF GOD’S POWER?