Meals with Jesus the finale!
Pendulum Swing or Two Sided Coin?
| Speaker: | Andy Moyle, |
| Series: | God's Multicoloured Wisdom |
| Date: | 11th Oct, 2026 |
| Download: | Pendulum Swing or Two Sided Coin? |
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| Sermon notes: | Pendulum Swing or Two Sided Coin?Pendulum Swing We have been looking at God’s multicoloured wisdom - where God shows off his amazing diverse multicoloured wisdom to the angels and demons through what he is doing through the church. Your life has meaning and purpose – you are part of a cosmic plan that God has! Started with creation – in all its diversity created by God who personifies diversity in unity – Father, Son and Spirit Then we looked at the Fall – where Adam and Eve disobeyed God and experienced shame, guilt and fear. God made a sacrifice to clothe them with the first leather outfits! Then we began to see God’s rescue plan for the whole of humanity start through God call one person – Abraham to be blessed so that through his offspring every family would get the chance to be blessed. God often chooses one to be bless many. He has chosen you too! Now we jump forward hundreds of years – the Old Testament people of God, Israel are being formed. They have escaped slavery in Egypt and they are about to receive the ten commandments – and the rest of the Law. But before that God tells them these amazing words. Exodus 19:5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” Condition – Obey God fully and keep my covenant.They are about to get the law – not just 10 commandments. Jewish scholars counted 613 separate commands. They are there to show how holy God is and how much we need Jesus to save us. King Solomon tells us in Eccl 7:20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins. Paul will teach the purpose of the law was to bring us to Christ – Gal 3:24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith They had been saved by grace from slavery but still the Old Covenant was conditional on obedience first. Ex 19:5 again IF you obey me… then out all the nations you will be my treasured possession. Treasured PossessionIf your house was to catch fire and everyone was safe and you could grab one thing, what would it be? That’s your treasured possession. The Hebrew word is sagula which means shut up treasure – the kind of treasure that is highly prized and kept safe. That’s who the people of God are to the Lord. Then from that identity as God’s treasured possession, they are called to be a Kingdom of Priests Kingdom of PriestsA priest is someone who mediates people to the Lord. Their job as a blessed people was to show that blessing to all the families of the earth – to carry on Abraham’s call. Mal 2:7 says for the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord almighty and the people seek instruction from his mouth. Holy NationGod is Holy and commands his people to be holy. The command “Be holy, for I am holy” is all over the Bible! Lev 11:45 I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. Two sides of a coin – the edge says treasured possession. That is their identity. One side is be a kingdom of priests. Make a difference in the nations, influence them and bless them so that they follow god. The other side is Holy nation – be holy. Don’t compromise with sin. They were meant to hold it in tension – be in the world but not of it. But OT Israel and actually anyone without Jesus just cannot do it. It ends up being a pendulum swing of making a mess Instead of kingdom of priests – influencing the nations. End up with anything goes, doing the awful things the unbelievers were doing. Then they’d swing the other way again missing the point. Holy nation – despising the other nations and being completely nationalistic. Or separating themselves. Even today – you can see religion in general and “religious” people making a mess of the pendulum swing. In the world and doing what they do – anything goes, chaotic lifestyles, liberalism – making Christianity wishy washy but palatable. Swinging the other way – Christian ghetto, avoiding the world, holy huddle, leagalism. Paul warns against that in 1 Cor 5:10 “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.” That’s a great example of two sided coin – be in the world, but don’t be like the world. The call to live out being a treasured possession by being a Kingdom of priests and a holy nation is impossible in our own strength. The law was mean to point us to Jesus. Christianity has a new covenant, a new deal – a better deal. 1 Peter 2 lays out the ideas of what treasure possession, kingdom of priests and a holy nation look like with Jesus But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but not you have received mercy. If you have become a Christian, Peter declares like Jesus you are born again – a new creation and we have been give a precious identity – chosen people, royal priesthood, holy nation, God’s special possession. God has done it- he has made us the people of God and has given us with mercy. Our destiny is not the pendulum swing of messing it up – we can live as the double sided coin – treasured possession round the edge – kingdom of priests and holy nation as the two sides, We can do it. You may be thinking, no I can’t I swing from one extreme to the other! What’s the secret sauce? A few verses before Peter shows us As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Living StonesPeter is writing to people who were mostly Jewish background before fining Christ, so they would have had Old Testament understanding of what that means. Centuries before Jesus came Ezekiel was prophecying to a wayward pendulum swinging Israel and he says this “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.” God showed Ezekiel that without Jesus people are stony – cold and hard and unable to follow and obey Jesus. The promise he prophecied is that God would remove peoples dead stony hearts and give them a new heart. In Ezek 36 he repeats it – “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Peter picks up the imagery of that and shows that Christians are now living stones – we have the Spirit in us, making us so alive. Spiritual houseThen he talks about us being built together into a “spiritual house” to be a holy priesthood. A spiritual house is literally a house of the spirit. Together we are the house where the Spirit of God dwells. We need each other – you can’t go it alone in Christian faith – the devil will pick you off straight away. The secret sauce that makes the two-sided coin doable – is the power of the Spirit available to all of us and the church being the place where we are built together. New Covenant is incredible. The law of 613 commandments is impossible, nobody apart from Jesus has completely obeyed. So, Jesus came to bring us close to God Eph 2:14-15 “For he himself is our peace who has made the two groups on and has destroyed the barrier the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations” The Law was just a schoolmaster or guardian to shows us we need Christ. Now grace has fully come and we find that we can be more holy than the law demanded by enjoying God’s grace and walking in the power of the Spirit. The law said don’t commit adultery – grace says don’t even think adulterous thoughts. Titus 2:13 tells us “grace teaches us to say no to unrighteousness” It is walking in the Spirit that enables us to be holy and make a difference. Gal 5:16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. It is the Spirit that gives us power to be witnesses Act 1:8 It is the Spirit who grows the fruit of holiness in us Gal 5:22 It is our experience of being living stones – filled with the Spirit and built together as God’s church that means we finally get to enjoy living our new identity But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. If your life feels like a chaotic pendulum swing – God wants to turn you into a two-sided coin! Come to Jesus Be filled with the Spirit Be built together |
Pendulum Swing or Two Sided Coin?
Andy Moyle,11th Oct, 2026 3:04 pm
The Call of Abraham
David Taylor27th Sep, 2026 9:11 am
The Fall
Omadachi Oganyi,20th Sep, 2026 3:10 pm
The Trinity and Creation
Swapnil Pardeshi13th Sep, 2026 5:59 pm
God's multicoloured wisdom
Andy Moyle6th Sep, 2026 7:36 pm
Last week we saw Cleopas and Mary go from hopeless not hope on the Emmaus Road. This week, they have dashed back to Jerusalem to the locked room where the disciples are hiding out, chattering fearfully among themselves. Confused, full of disbelief.
The account of what happened next is in Luke 24:36-53, and in John. So let’s read Luke 24…
1 Jesus turns panic into peace
They are in a locked room John 2:19 for fear of the Jews and Jesus suddenly appears.
They were startled frightening, talking amongst themselves about what has been happening.
Suddenly He is with them- having walked through the door. So they are scared. Is it a spirit or a ghost?
“Peace to you!”
Jesus presence brings forgiveness, joy, hope and peace.
People search for peace in so many ways – drugs, alcohol, casual sex, meditation, spiritualism. All of them ultimately disappoint and all are spiritually bankrupt. You end up with less peace and more panic and mess.
Jesus brings true peace.
Initially they are terrified – thinking it’s a ghost.
So in v39 Jesus tells them to look at his hands and feet, touch them. He has a physical body. He eats with them to show He is physical. Luke is knocking on the head the JWs teaching of a spiritual resurrection and the Gnostic that would soon be around in the 2nd century who thought Jesus was not made of flesh.
It’s a resurrection body that is a recreation like our bodies, but heavenly too – so he can walk through doors! Get your head round that!
Jesus’ first words to the troubled disciples are Peace to you. Then he asked “Why are you so troubled?” Literally why are you so stirred up?
Ever been like that? panicked, emotions stirred, stomach churning?
Jesus reassures them
1) Touch me
2) Eat with me
Circumstances are like mattresses. If you are under them , you suffocate. If you can get on top, you can rest. We get a choice – focus on teh circumstances, or focus on Jesus.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face and the things of earth will go strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace.
If you are prone to panic, if when you are asked How are you? Your answer is “alright under the circumstances”
Allow Jesus to bring peace.
We need to hear God – His presence takes away panic
Heacham shepherdess. Sheep panic, heads down, often die. Fox hunt. Not warned. Sheep started to panic – shepherdess whispered in tehir ear and panic gone. Why? Sheep need to hear the voice of the Shephrerd
Phil 4:7 tells us “the peace of God that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Draw near to God and the devil will flee.
Worship and allow his presence to be manifest.
2) He turns confusion into clarity v44-48
The next thing Jesus does is remind them of all that he had taught them. Luke 9:45 tells us they didn’t understand him before the cross fully.
So Jesus explained His teaching and how the OT all points to Him – the triumphant bits, the suffering servant bits, the bits that show us our need of Grace. It’s all about Jesus.
As he does so, confusion become clarity!
Have you ever been confused?
Someone was wondering around with a t-shirt with a large K on it. He was asked what’s the K for? I’m confused. But confused isn’t spelt with a K. Well that’s how confused I am!
If you are confused about life – Jesus loves to bring clarity.
Very popular Scripture – Jeremiah 29:11-14
People often quote the first verse 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.
Which is so helpful. But we need to read on!
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.
The key to know God’s plan, knowing clarity where there was once confusion is 3 fold!
1) Call on God in prayer – calling has a desperation, a tenacity, a telling God what’s what about it
2) Listen – as God listens to you, listen to Him. Allow him to speak through his word, His Spirit and trusted friends
3) Seek God – that takes time and soaking in His presence.
If you are living in confusion – seek God and gain clarity
3) Jesus turns pointlessness into purpose v47-48
The disciples had gone inward focussed, in a locked room, full or fear and doubt.
Jesus turns their pointlessness into a purpose. He explains to them the message they have to proclaim
– The death and resurrection of Jesus
– Repentance and forgiveness
– Going to all the nations with the message
Got a great quotes from William Booth who started the SA (who in the ppt slide has an awesome hipster beard!)
We believe in the old-fashioned salvation. We have not developed and improved into Universalism, Unitarianism, or Nothingarianism, or any other form of infidelity, and we don't expect to. Ours is just the same salvation taught in the Bible, proclaimed by prophets and apostles, preached by Luther and Wesley and Whitfield, sealed by the blood of martyrs – the very same salvation which was purchased by the sufferings and agony and Blood of the Son of God.
Relational Mission, our family of churches has this amazing emphasis of everyone a witness!
We are all turned from purposeless to purpose. We all have the great commission. You may be what I call a connector – someone who is great at making friends and inviting them to stuff. You may be an apologist – someone good at answering questions. You may be a servant – you love to help people. You may be a power person – passionate about going out on the streets, prophecying over people and healing the sick, or you may be a reaper, someone who is good at sharing the gospel and inviting response. Whichever you are, you are part of the team here, hopefully part of a life group on a mission. Don’t write yourself off – we all get to play.
Another William Booth quote You cannot say you are not ordained. You were ordained when you signed Articles of War, under the blessed Flag. If not, I ordain every man, woman and child here present that has received the new life. I ordain you now. I cannot get at you to lay my hands upon you. I ordain you with the breath of my mouth. I tell you what your true business in the world is, and in the name of the living God I authorise you to go and do it. Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature!
All across our nation it seems like the Spirit is reminding the church of the great commission – I’m hearing of fruitfulness all over
Newmarket stories!
J.J. Bouncer story
REading
We have an amazing gospel to draw people in, that will see churches planted in the region and in Northern Europe.
750 million people live in Europe, and it is estimated that less than 4% of Europeans attend church regularly with less than 2% being evangelical Christians. As such Europe can be seen as the least evangelised continent in the world. More than 250,000 villages, towns and cities in Europe do not have a single evangelical church.
We currently serve churches and plants in Germany, Finland and Holland with ministry and will be looking to send short-term teams to serve and church planters out to towns and cities all over Northern Europe to plant vibrant New Testament Churches.
I’d love to see a congregation planted into Fakenham first! But we need power for that as there have been a couple of failures already. Thomas Edison on the thousands of lightbulb proptype failures said this “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
4) He turns powerlessness into powerfulness v49
Look, Jesus says “I am sending the promise of the Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
They felt powerless – they had felt powerless when Jesus told them to feed the five thousand with a few loaves and fishes. The job is impossible – God wants us to take responsibility for the mission and we feel powerless, because it is too big and too impossible. But then he gives us power!
They needed to wait for Jesus to ascend to heaven so that He could send the Spirit instead. And when He comes he comes in power. Power to be witness.
We will pray into that in a moment
5) Jesus turns worry into worship v50-53
They all go out from the fish BBQ with Jesus and He ascends to heaven, where He is ever praying for us. Their response is worship.
They returned to the city with great joy and were continually joining together for worship in the Temple
No more fear, only faith
No more confusion, only clarity
No more pointlessness, only purpose
Before they were hiding and fearful, now openly praising in the Temple
Before there was sorrow and perplexity, now praising and blessing
Before there was doubt, now they are filled with faith and hope
So let’s apply this…
Come to Jesus
Receive a fresh infilling of the power of the Spirit
