No – I’m a Christian, of course my heart isn’t hard
Or
Yes – everyone’s heart is hard; it’s just the way things are.

No, STOP. Just for one brief moment in your day, STOP. Whether you’re riding the train to work, sitting in the office or on the sofa at home. STOP, and for one brief moment ask the Lord, is my heart hard to you?

It takes just a moment to ask this question, but what would the Lord’s answer be?

Perhaps we are fearful of what the Lord may say?
Perhaps we don’t know what’s going on in our own hearts?
Perhaps we feel reluctant to even approach the question?

But we must ask the question, we have to ask the question.

As we continue our series this week on the Parable of the soils we see that one quarter of the seeds that are sown fall onto hard ground. Ground that has become a pathway, ground that is well traveled. We saw in part 1 of our series that the soil is a metaphor, a parable for our hearts, so the seed that fell on the pathway is a parable of the message of the Kingdom of God that falls on hard hearts. Because the ground is hard the seed cannot enter and bring forth growth. Perhaps our hearts are hard and the seed of the Kingdom of God cannot enter in and bring forth Kingdom growth in our lives?

And the rewards of Kingdom growth are massive, 30, 60 or 100 times that which is sown!

If we are to see the Kingdom of God grow in our lives then we must look at the state of our hearts, and allow the Lord to show us where our hearts are hard. Why not read Matthew 13 v 1-23 in preparation for this message, and together let’s prepare our hearts to hear.

After introducing the series Adrian explains how God is planting Kingdom seed in hearts and how we have to listen with hearts to understand and let the seed grow.

The heart of this group of dedicated Christian workers is to see the orphaned children grow into well educated, well fed and useful members of society to the former communist country of Romania. All of the children in this choir, and in fact the whole children’s home, have been abandoned by their parents for some extenuating circumstance. Their stories mean such a lot to us and, being part of the group that raised enough money to set the home up, we have seen many children grow up and blossom into adulthood.

You will hear from the Director of the home about the state of the nation at the beginning of the home and how it is now, you will hear from one of the older children about how he was brought up and finally you will hear from one of the trustees of the trust that helps to support the home.

What a privilege to be involved with them, we are sure you will be blessed.

Mike has been a missionary worker for many years, and his work with International Mission Support is well known in the countries where he has visited. Christians have been encouraged and many other people have found Jesus through his ministry.

Mike now lives in Canada but was born and grew up right here in The Black Country. His extensive travelling coupled with his local knowledge makes him a great person to listen too.

Mike Jones is a long established friend of ACC and to have him back among us is such a treat.

Adrian first discusses prayer then the history and background of the global day of prayer and goes on to introduce the suggested programme for Dudley Borough over the forty days.

After a symbolic act of the church family planting pea seeds and lighting candles the service concludes with some written prayer for specific groups and needs within our nation.

• The Character of Death
• The Cause of Death and
• The Cure of Death

Speaking on Mark 14:53 – 15:39 he focuses on three issues: Jesus’ silence, His ‘crime’ and His darkness. 

In his usual meticulous style David uses these three headings to take us deep into this passage in a very thoughtfull and moving exposition.

He asks “Why the need for swords, what were they expecting?”

He speaks of weapons and subterfuge! Judas came ready to overcome a rebellion. He came with a Kingdom of this world perspective.

Barrie continues ……”Were they correct? A sword is pulled and someone loses an ear.

……..Even with our knowledge of what Jesus was here for, we too reach for the sword and fail like Jesus’ companion, but this shows how hard it is to live in the Kingdom of God.

What Scriptures had to be fulfilled?

Jesus tells us that the fulfilment of scriptures will help us find the power to live in the Kingdom of God. A new world order has arrived and what was first will be last, and what was last will be first. The world has been changed. Not with a sword, but with a man standing still in a garden while all others fled.

Using Tim Kellor’s book as a guide we have been looking at our lives through the life of Jesus. This week we come to that point just before the crucifixion when Jesus takes three disciples and goes to pray.

Appearing to be in agony His sweat turned to blood He was so troubled – Why?

We hope you will find some answers in Tim Barton’s talk today.

 Adrian explains how when Jesus took His disciples to the upper room they had expected to celebrate the traditional passover feast; but we see now that Jesus was about explaining His world transforming work at a new and deep level.

As he ponders on what the disciples may have thought,  Adrian explains the challenge of the new covenant in a thought provoking way.