大象传媒

Webscript: This script is not exactly as broadcast, and has been transcribed using an automatic transcription package. Although it has been corrected, the punctuation may be flawed and some sentences may not immediately make sense.

Leader: Danielle Campsall

Preacher: Andy Hawthorne

Producer: Philip Billson

Leader

Welcome to message Community Church. You are so welcome. We're a church that was born out of the work of a charity that's been running for 30 years which works in schools, prisons and in tough communities. And out of that work through the new initiative, the Community grocery was where the message Community Church came from because we saw so many who became Christians through that work, and therefore 20 months ago we launched this church and every week now we meet. It's been an amazing journey, God's changing lives all of the time. My name is Danielle. I help to lead the church and this morning we've got an exciting morning. Baptism Sunday 听is always my favourite week. I'm going to pray before we start and we're going to sing a song by Rend Collective My lighthouse and it says in this song in my wrestling and in my doubts. God, we thank you for the truth that you don't walk out, that you don't give up on us, that your grace is sufficient. God, we thank you this morning that we can sing of your goodness. And we can sing it with all our hearts, cause we know it to be true. God, to pray that you'll be present this morning in everything that we do in Jesus name, Amen.

MY LIGHTHOUSE (Rend Collective) Songwriters: Chris Llewellyn / Gareth GilkesonMy Lighthouse lyrics 漏 Capitol Christian Music Group, Capitol CMG Publishing

Community Grocery item.

BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD (Phil Wickham)
Songwriters: Brian Johnson / Phil Wickham / Lefait Matt
Battle Belongs lyrics 漏 Be Essential Songs, Bethel Music Publishing

Leader

And I'm going to invite four people up now who are getting baptised. Often a question that's asked is I don't think I can get baptised, can I? Because I've not got it all together or I've got to sort this out in my life or I've got to sort that out in my life. It's a load of rubbish. These ladies. Haven't got it all together, but they're getting baptised because they want to publicly say, you know that Jesus is making a difference in my life. And so this morning, I want to invite up Lisa. Martina, Natasha and Ruby, who are going to come and share with us. Ruby, we first met you when the message came out to do your garden didn't we?

RUBY

So they came and done the garden and then we went to the fun day. And while we was at the fun day, they invited us to the church service and then ever since then, we just started coming.

Leader

Amazing. So Ruby and her mom and her brothers have all started coming to church. They've all become Christians, and Ruby's the first one of them actually, to get baptised. So, and I've heard stories about Ruby talking to Lauren and Henry and saying please, can we study the Bible, please? Can I learn more? And it's been incredible to see the journey she's been on.

Lisa, tell us a little bit about what life's been like for you?

LISA

I was diagnosed with incurable cancer 2 1/2 years ago, gone through a lot of treatment, six months of chemo. Then the stem cell transplant. I lost all my hair, but then God blessed me with this beautiful Afro.

Hallelujah for the afros in the house.

You tend to pray in your times of need, whether you're a believer or whether you're not. I think everybody in this room has probably said at some point, you know what? God, if you're real, show me. It has come back again. We knew it would come back, so I've got to start treatment again in two weeks. Fingers crossed the Afro is going to stay. I won't be losing that again. But I feel it's the right time to get baptised. I said, on my last journey, I felt like God was with me walking beside me, whereas this time, when I'm going in for my treatment, we're going to be walking through it hand in hand.

Leader

And just tell us the difference it's made come into church coming back to God and committing your life to him. Tell us the difference that鈥檚 made.

LISA

It's built my faith. It took away any fears that I've got. Regardless of what happens, I know the big guy鈥檚 with me. So I'm getting baptised out with the old in with the new. 听Jesus, I'm giving my life back to you.

Leader

Right. Natasha. You're next. Tell us a little bit about what life's been like for you then.

NATASHA

Yeah. I lost my mum in July 2020. So that was really difficult. I was struggling and I actually had a mental breakdown. And then I came to this church, Lisa said. Come on, you're coming. So I came. And it just felt very welcoming. I just feel like I've found peace.

Leader

And you said to me on Friday, didn't you, Danielle, I look a different person. Than I did six months ago. It's amazing to see God at work in your life. - Martina. Tell us a bit of your story.

MARTINA

I came here because of Lisa. I didn't want be here. I'll tell you the truth. My husband's dying of stage four brain cancer. He was given less than 14 months and I've just gone down and down and down. My friend here is my life saver she brought me here. As soon as I walked through them doors the love of the Lord and of everyone, I just felt so, so welcome. So welcome in my life, I'm not down. I can feel him and he's changed my life so much. All the anger from years ago happened in my life. I carried for more than years. It's gone. So I want to give myself to him and to say. I thank you, my Lord.

Leader

And you know what? When we become Christians, when these ladies have given their life to Jesus, it doesn't change the situation. Situations stay the same, but they've felt a sense of peace despite those situations, God sustains us in our brokenness and in our weakness. He sustains us. Let's head over to the pool.

Prayer over music: Many times where we were so fearful, God you were there for us. Amen. So many times that God was there to lift us up, to sustain us. We're so grateful for that amazing faithfulness. It鈥檚 shown to us Jesus, thank you. Lord, Lord, because all my life you have been faithful. All my life you have been so so good.

听

MUSIC: All my life you have been faithful (Goodness of God) 鈥� Bethel Music
Jason Ingram / Brian Johnson / Ed Cash / Ben Fielding / Jenn JohnsonGoodness of God lyrics 漏 So Essential Tunes, Capitol Cmg Paragon, Bethel Music Publishing, Shout! Music Publishing Australia

听

Leader:

Ruby, the verse that we felt for you this morning was from Philippians 4 verses 6 to 7. It says don't worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything you can understand.

Baptism Leader:

Ruby, do you understand and publicly acknowledge today that you've sinned against God and are deserving of his judgement? Do you understand that there's nothing at all that you can do to earn God's favour or salvation by your own efforts?

Ruby

I do.

Baptism Leader:

Do you now publicly acknowledge that by your trust in Jesus Christ as Lord, you have died to sin and you'll be raised to newness of eternal life in him, adopted into his church family, and given the gift of his Holy Spirit to live for his glory?

Ruby: Yes

Leader

On confession of your faith, Ruby, we now baptise you in the name of the Father, the son and The Holy Spirit.

MUSIC: ONE WAY (Hillsong Music)
Songwriters: Joel Timothy Houston / Jonathon Paul Douglass

One Way lyrics 漏 Capitol Christian Music Group

听

Leader:

Lisa, your verses, 2 Corinthians 3, verses 17 to 18. Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory are being transformed into his image.

On confession of your faith, we now baptise you in the name of the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit.

Natasha - Your verses from 2 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse nine, he says each time he said. My Grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. On confession of your faith, Natasha, we now baptise you in the name of the father, the son and the Holy Spirit.

You got the high sided pool! Might have to lower this鈥�! Martina the scripture for you is John 16, verse 33. It says I've told you all this, so that trust in me, you will be unshakeable and assured deeply at peace in this godless world. You will continue to experience its difficulties, but take heart. I have conquered the world.

Martina, on confession of your faith, we now baptise you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

MUSIC: ONE WAY (Hillsong Music)
Songwriters: Joel Timothy Houston / Jonathon Paul Douglass

One Way lyrics 漏 Capitol Christian Music Group

Leader

How good was that? I love hearing the stories of people getting baptised. Gonna introduce Andy, Andy is speaking with us this morning. Pray God that you'll anoint him as he speaks. Bless him I pray in Jesus鈥� name. Amen.

Preacher

Great. Thanks a lot Danielle. As we approach Easter today, we're looking at a wonderful passage and Andrew's gonna read it in a moment from Luke Chapter 19. A passage so rich with meaning. It's the passage around what's been called Palm Sunday. I like it being called the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. My friend called it Coronation Street I quite like that as a 鈥楳anc.鈥� It's Jesus big coronation. On May the 6th, our King will experience his coronation. There will be priceless carriages and crowns and pomp and ceremony. There'll be dignitaries from all over the world. There'll be billions watching on TV. I mean, quite an event. I'm sure we even get an extra day's holiday. Jesus鈥� coronation as King was a little bit different from that, and we're about to find out exactly what it was like. So come on, Andrew, just read it for us. Andrew Donegan. Here he is.

Reader

Thanks very much. OK, reading from Luke, chapter 19, verse 28 to 38. After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethpage and Bethany at the Hill, called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples saying to them go to the village ahead of you and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you why are you untying it, say. The Lord needs it. Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them as they were untying the colt, its owners asked them why are you untying the colt? They replied the Lord needs it. They brought it to Jesus threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen, 鈥渂lessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord, Peace in Heaven and Glory in the highest.鈥�

Preacher

Jesus was this incredible man of destiny. First few years of his public ministry all up in Galilee, which is like in the North West of Israel. It was the rough bit of Israel. All the best things come from the NW, and Jesus was born in the North West and he was born in Bethlehem. And then he grew up. In the northwest, in a place called Nazareth, little more than a bunch of caves, and he did his ministry around there in this tough, ordinary working class neighbourhood. And then there's a time when he suddenly, like, set his face like Flint towards Jerusalem. He said I must go to Jerusalem and suffer and die, and his disciples were like, err, Jesus, you mustn't go to Jerusalem and suffer and die. What do you want to do that for? It's going really well here in Galilee. You know, there's miracles and revivals and lives being changed and demons being cast out. Amazing things happening. What do you want to go off to Jerusalem for to suffer and die? You know what Jesus answered? That's why I came. That's why I came. I didn't just come to do miracles and bring this marvellous teaching. The most important thing I came for is to go to Jerusalem and suffer and die. And unless he did that, we're stuffed. It's all over. There's no hope. This morning unless Jesus went to Jerusalem and suffered and died for our sins to win our way back to God, we're finished. So in Luke chapter 19, he's well on in this 90 mile hard journey from Galilee to Jerusalem over some really difficult terrain. He's within two miles. He gets to a place called Bethany and he sends two of his disciples out on a covert mission. You heard it. Go to the village ahead of you. And as you enter it, you'll find the Colt tied there that no one's ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you why you're untying it, say the Lord needs it, you know, try it, go to your neighbour鈥檚 house. Could I please have your car? Please, the Lord needs it. Are you sure about that Jesus? You want us to go and get this colt? Somebody else's colt? Yes. Go and the disciples, fortunately for everybody obeyed. I've learned the key to successful living is quite simple. Obey Jesus. Do what he says, no matter how hard it is. It鈥檚 challenging, read the book, talk to other Christians, pray do what the Lord says. When I do it my way it never works. When I do it Jesus鈥� way, it always works even through the most difficult things life can throw at you and so they do what he says. They go off, they run, untie the colt and the owner not unsurprisingly says why are you untying my colt and the disciples go haha. Together they go 鈥淭he Lord needs it.鈥� And the guy lets him have the colt and off they go with this little, unbroken bucking Bronco. OK. And they set off the reason Jesus needed the colt was because he knew it was all part of his coronation. Jesus had read the Old Testament. He was a man of incredible destiny. He knew who he was, and he knew that. In the Old Testament, in Zechariah, Chapter 9, verse nine, it says See your king is coming righteous and victorious. He's lowly and he's riding on a donkey on the colt, a foul of a donkey. Jesus fulfilled every single detail of Old Testament prophecy. Some of them like riding into Jerusalem on a donkey you could fix. Lots of others you couldn't like God's massive spotlight on him - He's the one. He's my son. He's the saviour. He's the Messiah. So you might expect him to get a stallion or a golden chariot, but not for Jesus. For Jesus, it was this little donkey. Picture of incredible humility. Jesus really is the servant king, and as the disciples came back with this little donkey, it says they placed their coats on him and put Jesus on the donkey. Can you imagine the hilarious scene? One of the disciples kneeling down another one, giving him a leg up. There's no saddle for the donkey. They had to put the coats on and they just mount to get Jesus wobbling on the donkey. Here's the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Here's how he entered Jerusalem, but it's all prophesied. And as he came over the hill. He got the first view of Jerusalem sat on this scruffy little donkey, and the coronation began. And as the crowds saw Jesus, they knew their Bibles in this religious society. They knew what was going on and the Bible says they threw their coats on the ground. In front of him, another gospel tells us they cut down palm branches and started waving these palm branches, saying Hosanna God saves. That's why this Sunday is often called Palm Sunday. They praised him. The Bible says verse 27 for the miracles they'd seen, and that's why we come together on a Sunday morning to praise God for the miracles we've seen, isn't it? We praise him for the miracle we've seen of salvation, and sometimes the miracle of healing. Other times the miracle of a power to go through illness in a way you can't without Jesus. We praise him for provision and hope and joy and peace and those priceless gifts. We praise him. The Bible says the people said Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord, Peace in Heaven and glory in the highest, it says. They shouted with a loud voice. And I love this song. You know why I love this song? Cause there's so much meaning in there. You know, when Jesus was born, there was an angelic choir of angels who turned up their song was glory in the highest and peace on Earth. Fast forward 33 years, Jesus is about to go to the cross and there's a new song, peace in heaven and glory in the highest. The songs been twisted by Jesus because of what was about to happen in just a week's time, as Jesus was brutally murdered on the cross. Died for our sins and then rose again. There's peace in heaven and I can experience some peace. And people have testified in this church this morning about peace going through the worst that life can throw at them. It doesn't get much worse than losing a loved one or suffering terminal cancer. But there's peace in the midst. You know, there's peace on Earth because he's made a way for that to be possible. Just one last thing I wanted to share with you that I learned only last week I think about this whole Palm Sunday this special day. Four days before Passover, this day, Palm Sunday was the day people chose a lamb. They were to choose the best lamb they could find. They would go out and find the most perfect, spotless lamb and for four days they would show it to all their neighbours and friends. Here's our Passover lamb. And then they would sacrifice the lamb. The lamb would die. They would have this meal where they would tell the whole story of God's salvation, God's salvation of the nation. You know where the lamb used to come from in Jesus day where they used to produce these lambs, these special, perfect, spotless lambs? Bethlehem. How about that? This little town of Bethlehem, where the Saviour was born. It's so rich with meaning all this. And when Jesus arrived on the scene where the first came out of the desert, in the power of the spirit right, you know he lived for 30 years, just growing in favour with God and man. And then it was time for him to embark on this amazing rescue mission: Do all the miracles, all the amazing teaching when he came out of the desert, you know what John the Baptist said? Behold, The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World. That's Jesus. He died in our place. He fulfilled all the Old Testament scriptures, all the story of God was building up to this moment when Jesus would die. The perfect Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world because a week after all these events of the triumphal entry on the donkey. Into Jerusalem a week after, public opinion turned against him. And they tried him at a cuckoo trial. And they condemned him for being a blasphemer because he said he was God come to Earth and they nailed him to a cross. Little did they know it was Jesus鈥� greatest victory. He was taking the punishment that we deserve. He was the perfect Lamb of God, slain for the sins of the world. He was slain for your sins. Whatever you have done. Wherever you've been, whatever dark place, Jesus was slain for your sins, for my sins. And if you accept it, he'll forgive you. Cause 3 days later he rose again and today's an amazing day in the history of the church, the Churches. You might not feel like that when you're living in Withenshaw or Manchester. The Christian Church is growing. Faster than ever because he said I'm gonna build a church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. He promised that. I'm sure the religious leaders, when he was nailed to the cross, must have said look at the state of. You. But he rose from death, he keeps his promises. He fulfilled all the Old Testament rules. He did it all, every prophecy. He did everything necessary. So you can have your sins forgiven so you can know peace on Earth, and you can know the full measure of peace and joy and forgiveness for all eternity in heaven. That's what's at stake here.

Have your way, Lord. Thank you. That all over the world your spirit鈥檚 working. And Lord, we just offer ourselves to you. We think about you, the servant King. You're wonderful. And we give you every bit of the praise and we offer our lives to you afresh. Thank you, Lord. Amen

SONG: Hosanna (Hillsong)
Songwriters: Brooke Ligertwood Hosanna lyrics 漏 Capitol Christian Music Group

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