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Christianity Explored Starts April 7th

by Paul Dirks // Apr 3, 2012

Christianity Explored is an informal course that explores who Jesus was, what his aims were, and what it means to follow him.

You won’t be asked to pray, sing or read aloud, and you can ask any questions you like. Or, if you prefer, you can just come along and listen. Christianity Explored has been around for over a decade now, and it’s been designed to suit different age ranges and people.

We’ll be hosting this course here at New West Community Church on Thursday evenings starting April 7th and running for 7 weeks. You’re invited to come for supper at 6:30pm and the course starts at 7pm. Child-care is provided free of charge.

For more information, please email info [at] newwestcommunitychurch.com or phone 604-521-1243.

Whose Kingdom Will Be Established?

by Paul Dirks // Aug 2, 2011

From the sermon “Everyone Must Choose Part 2″ on 1 Samuel 20:

In his anger, Saul says to Jonathan “For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.” But Jonathan doesn’t care about his own kingdom! He is completely willing to give up his own kingdom and say, in effect, to David- thy kingdom come.

And so it must be for us as well. In choosing Christ and following him and binding yourself with an oath to him, you must expect to lose your kingdom. And when I say “your kingdom” I mean the place where you reign, the place where your will is done in your little piece of earth or your realm of influence, no matter how large or small. Your kingdom is the place where you determine the rules by which you run your life. You determine who has offended your honour and who deserves your love. Who is in the right and who is in the wrong.

But when you choose Christ you must give up self-rule. You should expect that Christ will want to invade and transform every area of your life; both the places you want him to and the places you don’t want him to. We must be willing to divest ourselves of our kingdoms as surely as Jonathan divested himself of his royal robes.

Birth Always Comes With Anguish

by Paul Dirks // Aug 2, 2011

From the sermon “Watching with Christ” on Matthew 26:36-46:

But such a great fulfillment, the saving of so many souls, the defeat of the one who until then held the power of death , the cosmic repercussions of that salvation , means a correspondingly great travail or anguish of his soul.
Birth always comes with anguish. Ever since the curse was given to Adam and Eve in the first garden, there has been pain in childbirth . We see Jesus taking upon himself that curse in this second garden. He is giving birth to a nation. An entirely new people. Isaiah 66:8 says Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? In the first garden the pains were instituted, in the second garden the pain was fulfilled.

But though it is fulfilled, it is not completed. For Jesus says to his disciples watch and pray. But what he means is “share this suffering with me.” We know this is the case because later on, in verse Peter, who had not prayed, took up his sword to protect Jesus , cutting off the ear of the high priest’s servant. But Jesus rebuked him, told him to put his sword back in its place, healed the servant and said Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? The disciples were to watch, but not because an earthly battle was taking place, but because a spiritual battle was taking place. The disciples were to watch, but not because an earthly battle was taking place, but because a spiritual battle was taking place.

Men Of Faith Don’t Just Happen. They Are Grown.

by Paul Dirks // Jul 22, 2011

From Give Me a Man!, from 1 Samuel 17:

Saul, the tall, cowardly king tries to clothe David with his own armor. However, after trying Saul’s armour on it says that he tried in vain to go. Now, what does that mean? Some translations give the impression that the armour was far too big for him and that he couldn’t move in it. And that’s a possibility. But that’s not the point of this little episode. The point isn’t that it doesn’t fit him. Notice why David says he can’t go with them. He says I have not tested them. He then discards the armour and he takes up those things which he has tested- his staff, his sling, and some stones. The equipment of a shepherd. The author is making a point about the nature of David’s faith and it connects back to the lion and the bear.

David’s faith is not a raw faith. It is a faith that has been tested in the crucible of experience. He know that he will be victorious not just because God is with him, but because he experienced God’s previous help over the lion and bear. Men of faith don’t just happen. They are grown.

Extreme Violence

by Paul Dirks // Jul 22, 2011

From Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice, from 1 Samuel 15:

And so here is this elderly prophet standing before the people and King Saul, with a mutilated corpse in front of him, his sword dripping with blood, his body heaving with the exertion of the blows and with his garment, minus a tassel or two, stained with the blood of God’s enemies. The picture should have been very clear to Saul; this is the sacrifice God was looking for.

Agag stands for that which stands against God and his people. He stands for those sins that are precious to us. The ones that we pretend to overlook. He stands for those things that will not easily die in us except with extreme violence. Hebrews 12:4 says In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

He does not stand for our small sins which are more easily burnt and left in a heap behind us, but for those great things of which we cannot divest ourselves in one night or morning of repentance. We need to take up the sword and be ready to shed blood.

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