When we read the life of Jesus in the gospels, are we to see things that mark Jesus out as the unique son of God, or are we to see things that we are called to imitate and experience ourselves as followers of Jesus? I think the answer is yes (both and). In the series ‘How did Jesus’ we can explore some of those tensions; what makes Jesus unique, but what can we learn and copy today?

HOW DID JESUS HEAL? Clare Thompson 21/02/16.

The healing ministry of Jesus is something he called and still calls his followers into. Jesus healing ministry begins after his baptism and testing in the wilderness. Bible Ref. Luke 4:31-40

HOW DID JESUS MAKE DISCIPLES? Joey Mitchell 28/02/16

Jesus prioritised making disciples, and commanded his disciples to do the same (Matt 28:19). ‘Infectious discipleship’ is a word for the year at Woodlands and our mission statement ‘Continually reproducing the life of Jesus’ is a statement about discipleship. Bible Ref. Luke 5:1-11

HOW DID JESUS TEACH? Rob Scott-Cook 06/03/16

Jesus teaching was extraordinarily popular with all kinds of people (c.f. Luke 15:1). He taught crowds, but also took the small group of 12 disciples aside (18:31) to explain more deeply his message, to answer their questions or reflect on his ministry. What made Jesus’ message so attractive to them?
Bible Ref. Luke 15-18

HOW DID JESUS PRAY? Jon Wilcox & Dave Mitchell 13/03/16

Jesus’ prayer life was one of the most distinctive things about his relationship with God. It had a non liturgical intimacy. He called God by the intimate name ‘Father’. He practiced prayer as a key priority above the pressures of people. It was so distinctive that his disciples, brought up in the faith of their forbears, asked ‘Lord teach us to pray’ (Luke 11:1).

HOW DID JESUS SUFFER? Rachel Riddall 20/03/16

One aspect of the ministry of Jesus that we are explicitly called to imitate is suffering. Jesus said that his disciples must take up their cross. This is not a popular subject in contemporary Charismatic spirituality, yet throughout the world Christians are suffering through persecution more than at any time in history, sometimes literally taking up their cross.

HOW DID JESUS TRIUMPH? / EASTER DAY Tim Dobson 27/03/16

When Jesus hung on the cross, his opponents sneered ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ’ (v 35). How much of being saved actually depends on ‘not saving your own life’? How was Jesus utter trust and dependence on God fulfilled in his dying? How do we try and ‘save ourselves’? Where do we need to trust in God’s salvation more?

Like what you've seen? Find more talks and videos on the Woodlands Church sermons & talks page.

Henry Ford said "obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal". For us as followers of Jesus, we look towards Him not only our goal, but as our example.

RELEASE OF MINISTRY Pam Scott-Cook

The extraordinary growth of the Church in Acts brought strain on the structure of the early Church. One of the signs of strain was some of the vulnerable people in the Church feeling overlooked. It also meant that the Apostles were becoming a bottleneck and that they were neglecting their primary callings. These kinds of pressures are familiar ones in any growing organisation but can really hinder kingdom growth. On the other hand, this kind of growth can also be an opportunity to release significant kingdom ministry.

Bible Ref. Luke 4:31-40

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES: Persecuted Church, Dave Mitchell 12/06/16
Persecution has been part of the Church from its beginning as these chapters in Acts show. Persecution is also on the increase. Open Doors estimate that in 2015 7,000 Christians were killed for their faith, but millions of Christians are affected by lower level persecution and discrimination. What can we learn from the biblical record of persecution, and learn from the global persecuted Church today? Bible Ref. Acts 7 8:4

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES: Global Partnership Sunday, Tim Dobson & Charmian Arevalo-Squire 19/06/16Acts chapter 8 describes the mission of the early Church across the first national boundary, the neighbouring country of Samaria. This is followed immediately by the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, where the good news of Jesus is conveyed by him to the heart of another more remote nation. The great commission of Jesus is being fulfilled, and we stand in a long line of witnesses to the nations of the world as we think about our own place in the global Church. Bible Ref. Acts 8

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES: The Power of Encouragement, Rob Scott-Cook 26/06/16

Acts chapter 9 describes the conversion of Saul who has been a chief persecutor of the church. Saul has a vivid encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road but understandably encounters suspicion in the Church family. The key to him being accepted by the Church in Jerusalem, who haven’t witnessed the change in him first-hand, is the role of Barnabas whose name means ‘son of encouragement’. Bible Ref. Acts 9

Like what you've seen? Find more talks and videos on the Woodlands Church sermons & talks page.

How Did Jesus? (7PM Series)

Overcoming Obstacles (7PM Series)