In the Beginning God: The Father Heart of God | David Flanders at 11am | 28 November 2021

At our morning services in November, we’re looking at God with a fresh perspective.

28 November 2021 - 11am Service

In the Beginning God Series

“In the beginning God…” These are the first words of the bible. God is the foundation of everything, the ground of our being. But do we really know God or have a right view of Him? And is a journey of faith a journey towards a greater understanding and deeper relationship with Him?

Jesus came to reveal God as Father to the people on earth who thought they knew God best. Jesus reveals a God of surprises to us, and this series aims to help us examine our view of God and maybe look with fresh eyes at a God who is greater, more loving and merciful than we ever expected.

You can go deeper with this topic on your own or in your small group using the discussion notes below.

DISCUSSION NOTES

November 28th. ‘the Father heart of God’. Romans 8:14-17 Luke 11:1-11 Luke 15:11-32

Abba is Jesus’ special name for God. It is not a profound sacred mystery YHWH, but the first words an infant might say. To know God is to become like a little child, and acknowledge our need but also God’s compassion and heart for us.

If God is our father his fathering involves

• Intimacy

• Provision and nurture

• Discipline and challenge.

• Celebration and pleasure

1. Perhaps the key story about the father heart of God is ‘the prodigal son’ (Luke 15). How is God revealed as father there? How have we seen him Father us whether we have been in a ‘prodigal’ phase of life, or in legalistic religiosity? Are we able to respond to Him as children, or do we take the posture of ‘servants’ at the expense of intimacy and grace?

2. How comfy would you be calling God ‘daddy’? Can you explain your reaction to that?

3. Does God love us unconditionally? What does that mean in terms of obedience and

   discipleship? Does God love us more if we are more obedient to Him?

4. What is the connection between love and discipline? Does God discipline us? If so how?

Grace isn’t opposed to effort, it’s opposed to earning. (Dallas Willard)

In the Beginning God: Long Suffering | Dave Mitchell at 11am | 21 November 2021

At our morning services in November, we’re looking at God with a fresh perspective.

21 November 2021 - 11am Service

In the Beginning God Series

“In the beginning God…” These are the first words of the bible. God is the foundation of everything, the ground of our being. But do we really know God or have a right view of Him? And is a journey of faith a journey towards a greater understanding and deeper relationship with Him?

Jesus came to reveal God as Father to the people on earth who thought they knew God best. Jesus reveals a God of surprises to us, and this series aims to help us examine our view of God and maybe look with fresh eyes at a God who is greater, more loving and merciful than we ever expected.

You can go deeper with this topic on your own or in your small group using the discussion notes below.

DISCUSSION NOTES

Read 1 Corinthians 13, Genesis 6:6 and Romans 8:26.

The idea that God in perfection, can’t be changed or affected (or limited) by the events of creation is a fundamentally Greek idea that is a philosophical abstraction or deduction, not biblical revelation. God in scripture is passionately engaged with his creation and his people and the prophets reveal that heart of God (e.g. Hosea 11).

In fact the truest thing to say about God is that God is love. And the nature of love involves intrinsically suffering. The more you love the more you have capacity to suffer; vicariously over the sufferings of those you love, and in your own suffering either in intervention in those sufferings or by rejection from the beloved. To love is to risk.

1. Read 1 Corinthians 13, substituting the word God for ‘love’ and adding yourself as the object of God’s love (e.g. God is patient with me, God is kind to me). Does that match up with how you feel about God’s love?

2. Is it true that love and suffering go together? Why?

3. What is the link between loving someone and giving them freedom? (Sting sang ‘If you love

   someone , set them free’) If love always protects doesn’t that imply control? If God loves us

   why doesn’t He control things more?

4. The idea of a ‘suffering supreme God’ was a challenge to the thinking of the ancient world. How does it challenge our thinking and faith today?

5. How willing are we to follow a way of love that includes suffering?

In the Beginning God: Mercy & Judgement | Richard Pollard at 11am | 14 November 2021

At our morning services in November, we’re looking at God with a fresh perspective.

14 November 2021 - 11am Service

In the Beginning God Series

“In the beginning God…” These are the first words of the bible. God is the foundation of everything, the ground of our being. But do we really know God or have a right view of Him? And is a journey of faith a journey towards a greater understanding and deeper relationship with Him?

Jesus came to reveal God as Father to the people on earth who thought they knew God best. Jesus reveals a God of surprises to us, and this series aims to help us examine our view of God and maybe look with fresh eyes at a God who is greater, more loving and merciful than we ever expected.

You can go deeper with this topic on your own or in your small group using the discussion notes below.

DISCUSSION NOTES

Read James 2:13 and Luke 18:1-14.

One of the central fears that human beings have is of judgement and condemnation from God. There is a tension here as the bible reveals God as judge of all the earth, the one who uniquely judges rightly, but also reveals God’s heart of mercy. Of course a biblical ‘judge’ is giving good governance, not callous indifference. God being a judge is good news for those who cry out for help and justice. The other key to resolve this tension is God’s forgiveness; not condoning sin or excusing ‘behaviour’ but forgiving confessed sin which allows restoration and removal of shame (cf. John 8).

1. How do we relate to a God who knows all the secrets of our hearts, our motivations and actions?

2. Does God judge us through what happens to us in life? (eg. John 9- ‘Who sinned? Luke 13:1- 5).

3. How does God’s mercy tie up with the laws of ‘cause and effect’?

4. Is it fair on victims for God to forgive the perpetrators of evil on people?

5. What is the quality of mercy? What does it mean for ‘mercy to triumph over judgement’?

   Does justice demand ‘consequences’? Can God be good and yet not judger?

The heart of God to save not judge, to show mercy is beautifully illustrated in the book of Jonah. That’s God’s best preferred outcome- mercy! And that is how we live. Jesus came to show mercy, not to judge, and wants us to be known as a community of mercy not judgement as we relate to one another and a watching world.

In the Beginning God: Who is God? | Clare Thompson at 11am | 7 November 2021

At our morning services in November, we’re looking at God with a fresh perspective.

7 November 2021 - 11am Service

In the Beginning God Series

“In the beginning God…” These are the first words of the bible. God is the foundation of everything, the ground of our being. But do we really know God or have a right view of Him? And is a journey of faith a journey towards a greater understanding and deeper relationship with Him?

Jesus came to reveal God as Father to the people on earth who thought they knew God best. Jesus reveals a God of surprises to us, and this series aims to help us examine our view of God and maybe look with fresh eyes at a God who is greater, more loving and merciful than we ever expected.

You can go deeper with this topic on your own or in your small group using the discussion notes below.

DISCUSSION NOTES

Read Exodus 33:12-and 34:5.

Genesis 1:27 says God made human beings in his image. However human beings often make God in their (broken) image and so attribute to God qualities that are not his at all.

Our understanding of God has at least in part been formed by philosophy. Ideas about God (theos) were formulated in Greek Philosophy in terms of the ground of our being who is not susceptible to relationship with humanity. We have the idea of God as ‘immovable mover’ for example. Greek thought influenced Jewish & Christian thought, particularly in Alexandria (Philo of Alexandria) and Church fathers (e.g. St Augustine) formed in a classical tradition.

This is in contrast to the Biblical view of God which throughout Scripture is expressed in unfolding self-revelation. God is a God who reveals himself to people. The bible reveals God as passionate, responsive and relational.

1. How does God reveal himself to people in scripture? How has he revealed himself to you?

2. ‘The God who is everywhere is somewhere’. Where was God’s presence in scripture? Where

   is God’s presence now? Some people talk about ‘thin places’ where it is easy to encounter

   God. What do you think of that idea?

3. He reveals himself as personal, with a name, not less personal than we are but more so (C.S.

   Lewis). What name do you use to speak to God and why?

4. He reveals himself in character. Exodus 34:6-7 ‘The Lord the Lord, gracious and

   compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness..’. How would you sum up the character of God?

This Bible contains an unfolding revelation of God who is fully revealed in Jesus, revealing himself to people (Samaritan woman) Emmanuel, dwelling among us (John 1:14), personal with a name (Matt 1:22/25) and character (John 14:9) Colossians 1:15. How true is it for you that God the father is like Jesus, as much as Jesus is the exact representation of the Father?