1. GOD’S LIFESONG OVER US Penge Baptist Church 19 th August 2012

2. Zephaniah 3:16-17 On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love,he will rejoice over you with singing.”

3. What is God’s song over us? We are beautiful We are broken We are forgiven We are invited to be with God …context of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11- 32)

5. We are beautiful We are beautiful from creation – God loves all his children Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule….over all the earth”…. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good (Genesis 1:26, 31) Blessing precedes sin “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:34) The Gospel says beauty can be recovered “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)

6. We are broken People know they are broken, they need hope When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! (Luke 15:17) David knew reality of sinfulness also possibility of transformation and forgiveness “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight…Surely I was sinful at birth” (Psalm 51:4, 5) “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10) “You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” (Psalm 51:17 NLT)

7. We are forgiven God is love and forgives us! “while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20) Grace and not our own actions For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) All we must do is receive it! For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45) Repentance is the act of returning to God

8. We are invited! Jesus life and stories involve feasting! “Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” Luke 15:23-24 “The Son of Man came eating and drinking” (Matthew 11:19) The whole world will become the temple! Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” (Revelation 5:13)

9. “The church is an arrow sent into the world to point towards its future” (Jurgen Moltmann) The Holy Spirit is our downpayment on the future “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14) The Resurrection is our guarantee of the future “he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead” (Colossians 1:18) Everyone is invited – they just have to receive God’s grace!

10. The ultimate party is the transformation of the world – but it starts with us! “the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Romans 8:21) We are to be “agents of re-creation” What is God’s impossible dream for Penge?

11. Agents of Re-creation Agents care for God’s creation Agents share the good news of God’s grace! Agents pray for those who are suffering Agents seek to defuse quarrels Agents care for the needy and seek justice for them Agents may give a Gift to charities that further re- creation Agents see God’s hand in an adverse situation “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)

12. What is God’s song over us? We are beautiful We are broken We are forgiven We are invited to be with God…. ….and participate in the transformation of the creation – especially here in Penge!