The Rock and the River Session 1 Solid and Liquid Church ROOTS - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

DEEP CHURCH Week 5 The Rock and the River

Session 1 Solid and Liquid Church

ROOTS so we WINGS so we stay grounded in can soar in the God’s constant freedom of the unchanging truth living Spirit

The Rock and the River

‘Church communities that have accessed the living memory of the common tradition but are not sharing in the life of the triune God are mere

antiquarians rummaging around in the tradition like children looking for hidden treasures in a dusty attic .’ A. Walker, Remembering our Future

Karl Barth 1947 ‘Ecclesia semper reformanda’

Gen.49:24: ‘The Rock [ ehven ] of Israel’

Is.28:16: ‘Behold, I have laid a stone [ ehven ] in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will not be shaken .’

Ehven – capstone Ehven – cornerstone

T suwr – Rock; cliff; stone; strength; might; beauty

Ps.18:3: ‘My God is my Rock [ tsuwr ] in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my high tower. The Lord is my Rock [ selah ], my fortress and my deliverer.’

Ps.65:9 : ‘Y ou care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it.’

Is.44:3: ‘For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants .’

Deut.8:6 : ‘For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land – a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills.’

Is.35:1: ‘ The desert and the parched land will be glad; they will see the splendour of God. Then will the lame leap like a deer , and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

A highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. Only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord will return. Gladness and joy will overtake them and sorrow and sighing will flee away.’

Amos 5:24: ‘But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream !’

Deut.32:4: ‘He is the Rock [ tsuwr ], his works are perfect and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he .’

Num. 20:11 Water from the Rock

Num.20:8: “T ake your staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock ( selah ) before their eyes and it will pour out its water .”

Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock ( selah ) twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.’

Matt.7:24: ‘Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock [ petra ].

The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock ( petra ).’

John 4:13: “Whoever drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. The water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

1 Cor.10:1: ‘Our ancestors all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock ( petra ) that accompanied them, and that rock ( petra ) was Christ .’

John 7:37: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. As the Scriptures say, ‘Out of his heart will flow streams of living water.’” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.’

Perichoresis John 17:21: ‘May they all be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us.’

Matt.16:18: ‘Y ou are Peter [ Petros ], and upon this rock [ petra ] I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it .’

Eph.2:19: ‘Y ou are members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief c ornerstone.’

1 Pet.2:4: ‘ As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a

holy priesthood. For in Scripture it says: “ See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be shaken” (Is.28:16).

Is. 35:9: ‘Only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord will return. Gladness and joy will overtake them and sorrow and sighing will flee away.’

Rev.21:1: ‘ And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a

loud voice from the throne saying, “Now is the dwelling of God with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear

from their eyes. There will be no more mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Then one of the seven angels said to me, “Come with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the

Lamb .” And he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It had a great high wall with twelve gates, and on the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. The wall

had twelve foundations, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The wall was made of jasper , and the city of gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls

were adorned with every kind of precious stone. I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as

crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street in the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life. He who was seated on the throne said, “ Behold! I am

making all things new. T o all who are thirsty I will give freely from the spring of the water of life. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and Last, the Beginning and the End. The Spirit and the bride

say , “Come.” Whoever is thirsty, let him come. Let anyone who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. Behold, I am coming soon !” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.’

Session 2 How might we be Rock and River in Nailsea?

Tony’s stories

Ecclesia semper scindenda

‘That which has been believed everywhere ( ubique ), always ( semper ) and by all people ( ab omnibus ) ’ St Vincent of Lérins (5th C.)

ACNA

Apostolic tradition Incarnation Rooted in Scripture Flow together in a great river of orthodoxy

Spirit-breathed traditions: • Contemplative • Charismatic • Evangelical • Sacramental • Missional

Nailsea?

DEEP CHURCH: Theology for ALL!

What sort of school? Orthodox Bible-based catholic and evangelical Spirit-led Christ-centred

Curriculum: Ethics Evangelism Church history Guest speakers Doctrine Mission

WHEN & WHERE? Once a month Roving

WHY? Jesus’ prayer The times we live in Preparing for the future The spotless Bride of Christ

Discussion: How might we be Rock and River, Liquid and Solid, in Nailsea?

Hymn 584 Rock of Ages

Hymn 584 Rock of Ages

Next week: Week 6 Back to the Future Pt 2