1. A Road map of where we are going

2. Road map Families – good things and responsibilities
God’s family - good things and responsibilities
Giving, taking and matching
You are a priest, you are!
What do priests do?

3. Families

4. Families Families have lots of good things Love Fun
Caring for each other
Listening ear
Comfort
Place of safety
Nurturing environment
Helping kids grow up
Encouragement
What should a family be like?
Every family should have lots of good things going on

5. Families Families have responsibilities Providing food
Providing shelter & home
Emptying the rubbish
Making the beds
Cooking
Cleaning, washing clothes and sheets
Paying the bills
Living as a Christian family.
And families also have responsibilities to make them work properly.
What kinds of responsibilities?

6. Believing means Belonging
God’s family
Believing means Belonging

7. Believing means Belonging
God’s family
People in God’s family have lots of good things
People in God’s family have responsibilities too
God’s Family has great privileges
And also WE as members of God’s family have responsibilities
We will be thinking about that today
Believing means Belonging

8. Giving, taking and matching
Givers, Takers and matchers (EXPLAIN TERMS)
In a family who are the main givers, (parent /parents) who are the takers?
He never helps me so why should I help him?
I’ll help you if you help me

9. Giving, taking and matching
Matching is where two people do something for each other.
DON’T TALK ABOUT GOD HERE

10. Family Givers Takers Matchers
In your family at home, or in your relationships with other people what are you mainly?
A giver, a taker or a matcher
Givers
Takers
Matchers

11. God’s Family Givers Takers Matchers
In GOD’S family (We as Church) what are you mainly? Giver, taker or Matcher?
Givers
Takers
Matchers

12. ? Is God A giver A taker or A matcher
Does God mainly give to us, mainly take from us, or is He a matcher
- If you do this for ME then I’ll do that for you
Ask for their ideas

13. Giving and getting from God
God is a GIVER
Everything we have and are is given to us by God
Breath, life, food, life, people we know
Salvation, forgiveness, Holy Spirit, eternal life, relationship with Him
He has given all we have, all we are
God is a GIVER

14. Giving and getting from God
We are Takers from God
Everything we have and are is given to us by God – thank you
Breath, life, food, life, people we know
Salvation, forgiveness, Holy Spirit, eternal life, relationship with Him
He has given all we have, all we are
Thank you!
OK to be a Taker
He wants us to be thankful TAKERS of all He is and All He has given us
Specifically thanking him as takers. OK to be a taker – like children receiving food from parents
GRACE!!!!!

15. What does God want from us?
Giving Him Love and thanks
Giving ourselves to love others
Giving obedience “Jesus is LORD”
Jesus gave everything for us
He said “it is better give than to receive”
Does He want us just to be TAKERS? Wants us to be GIVERS back to Him.
What can we give God?
This is what being a member of His Church is about

16. Remember this?
Giving to God Giving to others Very profound statement
Giving not getting

17. How do we show we belong to God?
Giving Obedience to God
Believing in Jesus
Baptism – starting life as a new family member
Communion – showing we are part of each other in the Body of Christ
“Do this to remember me” said Jesus
It is a command
We eat and drink together - It says “I am part of God’s Family”
God gives to us – we give to Him
Compare eating a meal together round a table at home

18. Who are we? And PRIESTS Believers Christians Church Members
Disciples & Followers of Jesus
And PRIESTS

19. YOU are a group of holy priests

20. Holy Priests
The Bible speaks of all Christians as priests “a priesthood of all believers” 1 Peter 2:5
You are also a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God.
Compare priests in Roman catholic church, Anglican church.
This is not Trevor or the Elders – it is all of us. This is you and me!
No fancy robes or hats

21. Holy Priests What does that mean?
God has given us a special title and responsibility
“You are also a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God.”
You will offer sacrifices that please God
That’s what priests do
Is offering sacrifices giving or taking? GIVING

22. What kind of sacrifices can we give to God?
Give Time in service to others
Menial tasks, like . . .
Menial tasks like taking out rubbish, tidying up, vacuuming the floor, cleaning toilets, washing cups setting out chairs
This is the work of a priest. All these are Priestly sacrifices given to God

23. What kind of sacrifices can we give to God?
Give Time in service to others
Serving other people food and drinks if we have a church meal
This is the work of a priest

24. What kind of sacrifices can we give to God?
Give Time in service to others
Listening to other people and praying with them
This is the work of a priest

25. What kind of sacrifices can we give to God?
Give Love to other members
looking out for people in need
Practical Caring for them
Love CARES
At the start of a service what do you do?
At the end of a service what do you do?
Listen – pray – help - love

26. What kind of sacrifices can we give to God?
Give regularly some of our money
many Christians already give at least one tenth of their money to God and His work through the Church.
Think about it before you give
If you plan your family budget – rent or mortgage, SKY , food, clothes
Add your giving to God as part of that budget.
This means God’s work in Rhyl, in UK and worldwide can carry on
Be ready for special needs as you hear about them

27. What kind of sacrifices can we give to God?
Give Service to the Church using our gifts and abilities
What are you good at? How has God gifted you?
Music, administration, tidying up, putting chairs out , teaching, listening

28. When you come to church do you come
to get something for yourself from God or to give something to other people and to God? In your Christian life in the world Are you mainly a giver or a taker?
It should be both – different times, but
Giving sacrifices is a vital part of our work as God’s Holy Priests

29. God wants us to be Takers
God is a Giver
He gave us His Son
His Son gave His own life for us
God wants us to be Takers
Of His forgiveness
Of His gift of Eternal Life
And all the Grace He offers us
God wants us to be Givers to serve other people and His Church
He gave His life for us. First he wants tus to be TAKERS of His salvation. Then
He wants us to give all our lives to Him
Serving God as a member of His Church is challenging and demanding
He calls us to be Givers – and there is a cost
– our time our energy our care our money – reaching out to other people in need
Jesus has given his life for us. He is calling us to give our lives for him.

30. Paul said: In everything I did, I showed you that by hard work we must help the weak. Remember the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35