West Mersea Free Church

Jen talked about the Hebrews that were up against the giants in the new land they were promised, she included a video from YouTube which was also used in a previous service, the link to this video is included and leads to the song on YouTube.

Starting a new series on the Book of Hebrews - a letter written by an unknown author that teaches upon the scriptures of the Old Testament - Jen begins by building upon the sermon that is Hebrews 1, where we learn Jesus is superior to all angels in God's Kingdom. Jesus is the son of God, sent to Earth for our salvation.

This week we look at being a follower of Jesus, based on the Education Sunday theme for 2018: Faith and Works. "The good news of Jesus Christ is not rocket science." Rob speaks this week about being a follower of God and sharing the Good News of the gospels. Rob briefly mentions an illustration involving marshmallows and the gospel from Soul Survivor - you can watch Laura Hancock's full talk online. For God so loved the world, He gave His only son, and whoever believes in Him shall not die, but have eternal life.

Rob speaks this morning about the parable of "The Great Banquet", where a wealthy man invites a collection of guests who make excuses to not attend. The man then asks his servant to invite to the banquet people from the streets - the lame; the poor; and the sick. How does Jesus' parable apply to us today?

Using stories from his own life, and building upon his experiences, Miles Mitson tells the story of the unforgiving servant - a servant that once free of his own debts, continues attempting to collect debts from others...

For the final week in the None Like Him sermon series, Peter speaks about God's infinite rule - and how God is so overwhelming in rule that we must humbly obey His calling. When you bring a ruler to God, you cannot measure God.

Rob discusses God's infinite power and the impact it has on our lives. "With great power comes great responsibility." Using a brief clip from Spider-Man (2002), Rob emphasises the importance of using power for the good of man, and not purely personal gain. The God of infinite power is almighty, all-powerful and omnipotent. God can't do all things, but He can do all possible things. Rob answers the question: "Why doesn't God use His power?"

Returning to the theme of None Like Him, Jen speaks about God's infinite knowledge. Our knowledge simply cannot compete with God's infinite knowing.

Speaking about the rich, young ruler from the New Testament gospels, Rob speaks about how someone who has everything can get to the Kingdom of God. Many of us carry a type of spiritual boulder along with us, and God is saying to us: "Give it up - come and follow me." "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" In response to the sermon, we passed away our spiritual boulders whilst listening to 'All to Jesus I Surrender'.

For the third and final week of the Mission Impossible sermon series, Jen enacts a conversation with God, inspired by the book of Micah, helping us to realise God's intentions for us and the wider world. Jen's conversation with God demonstrates what we must do to better serve God's people - as well as the church.

For the second week of the sermon series for June 2018, Rob speaks about our 'Mission Impossible' in serving the Lord through mission. Using Peter & Cornelius as a stepping-stone to how we can serve today, Rob looks at evangelism and how being a missionary is being someone who shares the good news. A short clip was used to illustrate discovering God for the first time - and the desire to pursue further until our desires are met. William Carey's mission took him to Kolkata, India - and although ours may take us around the world, we also have the opportunity to fulfil missions locally - even within our own church family. Rob also explains some of the factors that may hold us back: prejudice; disappointment; being scared; not wanting to change; not believing we have the right resources; being apathetic. Rob reads the lyrics from 'Asleep in the Light' by Keith Green - about how taking action is far more important than holding ourselves back. The mission this week is to go and share God's love wit

Jen begins the series for June 2018: Mission Impossible. We have a not-so-impossible mission to share our love for Jesus with the world, learning from how Jesus went to Zacchaeus, the tax-collector. Instead of allowing the crowd to be drawn around him, he moved so that Zacchaeus could hear the good news. Jen organised a demonstration of Jesus & Zacchaeus' story - where Heather (our 'Jesus' for the sketch) walked out from the crowds. No mission for God is an 'impossible mission'. Your mission (should you choose to accept it... dum dum duh da, dum dum duh da...) is to be more like Jesus. To go and share God's love.

Continuing the series None Like Him, Rob looks at the eternal God who calls us to live day by day; moment by moment. A God that doesn't need us, but chooses to use us. Everything around us changes: technology; shops; fashion; weather; people. It is said the only constant in life is change - but God doesn't change. God is infinitely the same. A God who is infinitely perfect. As part of the talk, we watched a short clip from Britain's Got Talent, demonstrating how quick change can be:

Jen speaks this week about God's infinite place, and how we must devote our time to God, for we can't multitask efficiently (but God can!). Try Jen's Task: Can you multitask? Write the following, in order. Can you complete it within 20 seconds? Write the following, but in the order of letter-number-letter-number (so the first four characters you write are "I1a2"). Can you complete it within 20 seconds? You'll probably find that you're much more efficient when writing everything in order. You can't multitask and be as productive. You need to give God your complete attention.

For the fourth week in the None Like Him sermon series, we consider God's infinite provision for us - and how all that we need, God has provided. Peter speaks about differentiating between 'need' and 'want' - and how God does not need us - God created us, and owns everything, including the insects in the fields. God does, however, provide for our needs. God is a self-sufficient God, who has experienced temptation and has had needs withheld. God does not need us, but God does want us. We have to choose to want Him.

Celebrating Heather's baptism, and delving into Lamentations: "Great is Your faithfulness", Rob speaks about God's ability to see through all that is cringeworthy within us, and open our hearts to all that is good - allowing us to be "new every morning". Prior to the sermon, we watched a short clip from Paddington (2014): And as part of the sermon (at the very beginning) we watched Evan Longoria's incredible reflexes catching a ball during an interview:

Rob speaks this week on the importance of time and God's infinite days, as part of the None Like Him series for summer 2018. Starting the sermon is an introductory clip: There are two further clips in the sermon, one of which looks at giving thanks to God for our time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rz2d9GvRP8 The final clip is a scene from 'About Time', a 2013 film following a family that can time-travel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9rvhmUhPnA

Join us for the second week of the None Like Him sermon series for Summer 2018. Jen speaks this week about God's infinite creativity - and how marvellous God has made our world. Initially, Jen uses a short excerpt from the plot of "The Greatest Showman", a recent cinema release featuring the song "This Is Me", which focuses on accepting who we are - and how God made us as we are. Jen concludes by providing an opportunity to respond to the sermon - admiring God's infinite creativity, by listening to "Where Were You?" by Ghost Ship.