Category: Christ As Shepherd

TTS Foundations 2018/19 - S14: "For Our Sake He Was Crucified..." (P5/5)

18/6/2019

After a bit of an unintended hiatus due to Church events in Chester, we met for another Foundations session on Sunday evening - our focus? Our own testimonies, but from God's perspective!

Every Christian has a story about how Jesus saved them. For some it'll be dramatic; for others God will have used ordinary circumstances. For some it'll be memorable; for others it'll be difficult to pin-point an exact moment. This is true throughout all of Church history - God is in the business of finding the lost, and Scripture promises that regardless of what your own story looks like, it's still a miracle, every time.

We have been regenerated and united to Christ - born again according to his likeness. We have been justified by faith alone in Christ - he takes our sinfulness, but we get his righteousness. We are being sanctified in Christ - conformed to his image. And we will be glorified in Christ - when at last God will be made all in all, he will be a bridegroom for a bride, and we will be a new humanity, in and for Jesus.

It's an amazing story of God's victory over Satan, sin, death and hell. "In Christ alone, my hope is found!" Find notes below, as well as that same Getty hymn, which perfectly encapsulates what we've established during this five-part series.

TTS Foundations 18/19 - S14: "For Our Sake..." (P5/5) NOTES.pdf
File Size:	162 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

0 Comments

TTS Foundations 2018/19 - S10: "For Our Sake He Was Crucified..." (P1/5)

26/3/2019

0 Comments

We met on Sunday night for our tenth Foundations session - we've looked at a lot so far, from the doctrine of the Trinity, to the ministry of Christ. This time, we were starting a five-part series on 'soteriology' - our theology of salvation! What an amazing subject. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound...

In this, our first session, we we were looking at the very fact that God has chosen to be a Saviour God - he didn't have to, no one forced him. He was under no compulsion. He graciously, sovereignly decided to save us. This is otherwise known as the doctrine of Election. Now, in the words of Karl Barth (a famous theologian of the 20th Century), election has cast a dark shadow for many. It has stoked controversy and outrage. But - as we established on Sunday - this needn't be the case.

Election is at the heart of all theology - God has freely chosen to be a Creator God, a known God, a worshipped God, etc. Election is at the heart of the Triune life of God - the Father chose the Son from all eternity to work out his purposes by the Spirit. Election is at the heart of the Gospel - God chose the historical Israel, and God has chosen his Bride. We dishonour God when we ignore election, or when we treat it as some insignificant off-cut. After all, when the authors of Scripture discuss it, it's not as a 'matter of controversy but as a theme for worship'! [J.I. Packer]

Find below a few things. First, the notes from Sunday's session - expanded to include more details and several appendices. Second, the medley of worship that we opened our session with. And third, the modern adaptation of Francis Thompson's Hound of Heaven, which we finished with.

TTS Foundations 18/19 - S10: "For Our Sake..." (P1/5) NOTES.pdf
File Size:	225 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

0 Comments

TTS Foundations 2018/19 - S7: "We Believe in One Lord, Jesus Christ, the Only Son of God"

28/1/2019

0 Comments

Thanks to all those who attended last night's Foundations session. We're really blessed to have around six to seven Chester churches represented on an average evening - it's such a privilege to pray and study the scriptures together.

Last night we were introduced to Christology - the study of the man, Christ Jesus. . Of course, one can't help but think of the following passage: "Jesus asked his disciples, 'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?'" [Matt 16:13]

We established the centrality and supremacy of Christ in all things - like in the Grünewald altarpiece, our job as theologians is to stretch out our finger, crying, "He must increase but I must decrease!" [John 3:30] Then we saw how the Jesus of history and the Christ of faith are inseparable - Jesus interacted with real people and institutions, we must take note of that, but he also demands an answer. He isn't just a piece of historical data.

We traced the history leading up to Christ's ministry - a 1000 years of conflict and conquest, from the united kingdom of David, through to Babylonian Captivity, Alexander the Great, the Roman Empire, etc. Then we used Matthew's Gospel to trace how Jesus understood his own ministry and vocation. He's like Moses ... but he's more than Moses. He's like David ... but he's more than David. He's like a shepherd ... but there's profound significance to that image. (Etc.)

There's another part of this story to tell - one in which we see God himself fulfil his promise to Isaiah, entering the stage himself...

Find notes below, as well as the song we played last night - All Glory Be to Christ.

TTS Foundations 18/19 - S7: "In One Lord, JC" NOTES.pdf
File Size:	152 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

0 Comments

TTS Foundations Notes: Session Seven: "We Believe in One Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Son of God"

27/11/2017

0 Comments

Despite some technology gremlins causing a bit of bother (printers + iphones!), I hope it's fair to say we had fun last night introducing the subject of Christology - the doctrine/s of Christ.

We looked at his disproportionate impact on civilisation as well as some of the historical and social context behind Jesus' ministry. We also very briefly mentioned the difficulty in separating the so-called "Jesus of history" and "Christ of faith" - before examining the the three fold offices of Christ (Prophet / Priest / King) as well as several of his major titles. All in the context of OT theology and history.

Next time, we'll be taking a good look at the united natures of Christ - i.e. the doctrine of the Incarnation. For now, find full notes for last night's session below, in addition to the Ravi Zacharias video and hymn I played. (Sung to Auld Lang Syne!)

Second year TTS students - click here for the S7 notes!
If you can't remember your password, please do get in touch.

0 Comments

TTS Foundations 2018/19 - S14: "For Our Sake He Was Crucified..." (P5/5)

TTS Foundations 2018/19 - S10: "For Our Sake He Was Crucified..." (P1/5)

TTS Foundations 2018/19 - S7: "We Believe in One Lord, Jesus Christ, the Only Son of God"

TTS Foundations Notes: Session Seven: "We Believe in One Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Son of God"

Second year TTS students - click here for the S7 notes!
If you can't remember your password, please do get in touch.

About

Archives

Categories

About TTS

Foundations

Scripture

Virtues

Directions

Second year TTS students - click here for the S7 notes!If you can't remember your password, please do get in touch.

About

Archives

Categories

Second year TTS students - click here for the S7 notes!
If you can't remember your password, please do get in touch.