1st June 2025 - Communion Service - Yasmin Chaffer - Walking Alongside

Yeah, Father, I thank you for this woman of God.

Father.

I thank you that she's a blessing to usk Lord God,

and Father, I thank you that she's labored in your

wood in readiness for today. Father, I pray that you'd

anoint her as she speaks, as you anointed her in

a preparation. Lord, let our ears be open and our

heart's ready to hear something life changing from you in

Jesus' name.

Amen, thank you, Good morning.

So as Dave said, our theme this month is love Egham,

and the title that the Lord gave me is walking Alongside.

I'm going to start with a quote from a lovely

book that many of you will know or know of,

but a few of you may not have heard from

heard of it, but I've quoted from it before. It's

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by

Charlie mackasey. And what's the bravest thing you've ever said?

Asked the boy?

Help? Said the horse asking for help.

Isn't giving up, said the horse, It's refusing to give up.

Whilst I'm focusing today on us reaching out to others,

I thought the Lord wanted me to start with this

as a reminder that we all need help at different times.

We need others to walk alongside us as much as

we need to be available to walk alongside others. Empathy

can be a connection point fueled by faith, as the

Lord guides us to those he wants us to walk alongside.

Someone I know is a counselor, and part of her

email address rather appropriately includes that term walk alongside. Isn't

that a significant aspect of loving others? And it's the

one that I believe the Lord wants us to focus

on today. Jesus, not surprisingly, is the ultimate example of

what it means to walk alongside others because of how

he eternally God laid aside his divine privileges to come

to earth as a baby and live as a man.

Jesus humbled himself so he could walk in our shoes.

Hebrews four point fifteen specifically says we do not have

our high priest, who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but

in all points was tempted or tested as we are,

yet without sin.

Let's start by.

Looking at Luke twenty four, verses thirteen to twenty seven,

and I'm reading from the NIV. That's Luke twenty four,

verses thirteen to twenty seven, where Jesus literally walked alongside

the disciples on the road to Maaeus. It was the

third day since Jesus had been crucified, and some of

the female disciples followers of Jesus had been to the

tomb that morning and discovered that Jesus wasn't there, So

Luke twenty four, verse thirteen. Now, that same day, two

of them were going to a village called Emmaeus, about

seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other

about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed

these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and

walked along with them, but they were kept from recognizing him.

He asked them, what are you discussing together as you

walk along? They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them,

named Cleopas, asked him, are you the only one visiting

Jerusalem who does not know the things that had happened

there in these days?

What things?

He asked about Jesus of Nazareth, they replied, he was

a prophet powerful in word, indeed before God.

And all the people.

The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to

be sentenced to death, and they crucified him. But we

had hoped that he was the one who is going

to redeem Israel. And what is more, it's the third

day since all this took place. In addition, some of

our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early

this morning, but didn't find his body. They came and

told us that they had seen a vision of angels

who said he was alive. Then some of our companions

went to the tomb and found it just as the

women had said, but they did not see Jesus.

He said to.

Them, how foolish you are, and how slow to believe

all that the prophets had spoken. Did not the Messiah

have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?

And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained

to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself. So,

going back to Luke twenty four, verse fourteen, they were

talking with each other about everything that had happened. It's

good that the disciples had each other to talk to

you to help them process what had happened. They weren't

going through it alone. But it was a very different

conversation when Jesus was invited into it. It will always

be a different conversation when Jesus is invited. When we

invite Jesus into it, the Lord has the opportunity to

inject his wisdom and insight through the Holy Spirit living

in us, that we wouldn't have naturally. Just to explain

that the Holy Spirit lives inside all believers, all those

who have surrendered their lives to him, all who acknowledge

that Jesus is the sinless son of God and paid

the price for our sin by dying on the cross

and then rose again. Jesus is now in heaven at

the right hand of the Father Almighty God, and the

Holy Spirit came to live inside all believers on earth

and helps us to live this life God's way, which

is the best way. The role of the Holy Spirit

includes to counsel and help and guide us. So Luke

twenty four, verse fifteen. As they talked and discussed these

things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked

along with them, but they were kept from recognizing him.

Why was it to see how they would answer? God

knows all things, so he knew how they would answer

but still gave them the opportunity to give their perspective

on recent traumatic events, then addressed their perspective with biblical truth.

God never does this to shame anyone, but to bring

us into a place of greater revelation and understanding. It

seems strange that the disciples were prevented from recognizing Jesus

if you consider verses such as Jeremiah twenty nine thirteen,

where God says, seek me, and you will find me

when you seek me with all your heart. But God

always has a purpose for everything that he does. Here,

in my opinion, it was so that the disciples could

make explicit where they were in their understanding of the

other events, what they were saying about Jesus, who they

thought he was. In order for Jesus to take them

on a journey of revelation, and inherent in that was

an invitation to deepen their relationship. He revealed more about

himself to them. The Lord brought his disciples on a

journey of revelation and understanding rather than an abrupt tadda,

it's me. There's something about going on a journey, going

through a process that changes us in a different way

to the magic wand approach, if you'll excuse the analogy.

Most of us love the immediate and the dramatic, but

a process can bring about a more profound and long

lasting change Luke twenty four, verse seventeen. Jesus asked them,

what you discussing together? As you walk along? He allowed

them to talk. Jesus obviously knew what they were going

to say. He's God, but he still allowed them to talk.

Sometimes people need that, that's space to talk to know

they've been heard.

It's a behavior that expresses.

You matter, even when we may be able to anticipate

what someone's going to say. I had a friend years

ago who would interrupt me if he thought he knew

what I was going to say, and speak in response

to what he anticipated me saying. Very often he was right,

occasionally he wasn't, but I didn't feel heard. So at

some point I told him I was talking not just

to exchange information, but because I wanted to share. He

was a decent guy, a Christian, and he took on

board what I said and adjusted his behavior accordingly. I

mention it because it's something for us to bear in mind,

particularly if we think it's obvious what someone's going to say.

I realize that people have different conversational styles as well,

and some people are happy to be interrupted, but others

would find.

It off putting.

I mention it as something that we need to gauge

and bear in mind, so when we walk alongside people,

the Holy Spirit may prompt us primarily to listen. Sometimes

people need to be heard to offload aren't ready to

listen to possible solutions to whatever they're facing.

There is a caveat.

I remember sitting with someone once who was very needy

and talks without taking breath, seemingly literally NonStop, for something

like an hour and a half.

I was absolutely drained at the end.

At some point in the middle, I said I needed

the loop just to get a break, even though I didn't.

But when I went back, she just carried on where

she left off. And that was the second time that

had happened to me. The first time was with someone else.

I was so drained I could barely speak afterwards. It's

important that we understand how and when to set boundaries,

and the nature of it means there are no fixed

rules in as much as we're all different and we

have to adjust accordingly. But walking in love walking alongside

someone doesn't mean allowing us to allowing them to drain

us like that. If you can feel that's happening, don't

just let it run its course like I did because

I didn't know what else to do. You can even

say something like I need to stop. You there your trust,

but I don't think it's right to continue right now.

You can pray silently and then just break in. Don't

wait for a pause however the Lord leads you. The

point is when we walk alongside people. Yes, it's important

to allow people to talk, but depending on the situation,

we may need to set boundaries. I'm going to jump

to Luke twenty four, verses twenty five to twenty seven.

That's Luke twenty four, twenty five to twenty seven. Jesus

said to them, how foolish you are, and how slow

to believe all the prophets have spoken. Did not the

Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?

And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained

to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself.

If only that had been recorded, wouldn't you just love

to have heard that heard what he said, how foolish

you are. There's a time to confront people, to challenge

when you're walking alongside them. Be wise, but say what

needs to be said. Depending on the situation, you may

need to bring someone with you as a witness to

what's being said, particularly in a church setting, such as

one of the leaders. I remember that happening here a

while ago. Another church leader asked me to come with

them whilst they said something that needed to be said.

That person was clear but not unkind, and changes were

made for the better as a result because what was

said was taken on board. Galatians six to one three

takes it further. Reading from an IV, it says, brothers

and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you,

who live by the spirit, should restore that person gently.

But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted carry

each other's burdens, And in this way you will fulfill

the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something

when they are not, they deceive themselves. None of us

are above temptation, is how I read that. Joyce Meyer,

the American Christian author and speaker, says this in her

notes in the Amplified Bible.

About this reading.

This passage reminds me that while misconduct should be confronted

in a loving way, I will also have times of

needing to simply bear and endure the troublesome faults that

others have. Humility allows us to be patient with other

people's mistakes. As we walk in love and pray for people,

God will intervene and with their faults.

We reap what we sow.

If we sow mercy, we will reap mercy when we

need it. Back to Luke twenty four, verse twenty eight,

As they approached the village to which they were going,

Jesus continued on as if he were going farther, but

they urged him strongly stay with us, for it's nearly evening.

The day is almost over. So he went in to

stay with them. Then Jesus broke bread with them. Their

eyes were open to who he was. They recognized him.

Then he disappeared, but they saw him again at other times.

The point is Jesus only walked alongside the disciples. To Amaeus,

the time he was with them was significant and brought

about real change, but it wasn't his role to walk

alongside them humanly. For weeks or months or years to come.

It's really important that we understand from the Lord what

our role is when walking alongside people, whether it's short

or long term. The significance of our role is not

based on how long we walk alike alongside someone, but

are we doing or have we done what the Lord

has asked us to do. There's no guilt or condemnation

associated with that question, but it's a question that we

need to ask because the Lord will anoint us by

the Holy Spirit, he will enable us to do what

He's called us to.

Do and not more.

Moving on to my next point, walking alongside people when

you're both going through it. One example of this is

in Acts sixteen, whether the apostle Paul commands an evil

spirit out of a slave girl with the spirit of

divination that brought great profit to her masters by fortune telling.

When the girl's owners see that their source of income

has been removed, they used religious prejudice against the Jews

to bring accusations against Paul and Silas. In retaliation for

their financial loss. Paul and Silas are stripped, beaten with rods,

then thrown into the inner prison, the most poorly ventilated

part and their feet put in stocks Acts sixteen twenty five,

about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns

to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. That's

just such an awesome verse. Paul and Silas were in

no doubt in extreme pain due to an unfair situation,

and they were alongside others. In other words, they were

the prisoners in there. Although we don't know their circumstances,

but Paul and Silas demonstrated a different way of dealing

with the situation to the other prisoners in praying and

singing at midnight. Learning to sing at midnight, to worship

God in your darkest hour in pain, is a sacrifice

that we'll only be able to give God this side

of heaven. It's a choice that's not dependent upon circumstances,

but a decision to keep our eyes fixed on the

One True God, who is almighty, who is the Creator God,

who is holy, who is love, who is patient, who

is kind, who is worthy of all worship and praise,

regardless of our circumstances, and regardless of whether we feel

like it or feel His presence. You may not feel

like you're particularly bringing God's light into a situation, but

God living in you that changes things. It's so important

to remember that we're never alone. John fifteen four says

live in me and I will live in you. The

word translated live is mostly translated remain or continue, but

in an older an IV and in the names of

God's Bible it's translated live in me and I will

live in you. In the message, it reads live in me.

Make your home in me, just as I do in you.

In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes

by itself, but only by being joined to the vine.

You can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me.

God never asks us to do anything on our own.

I really believe that someone listening online right now, and

there will be someone listening to the podcast later who

is going through a really difficult situation and doesn't believe

that you're making a difference despite God living in you,

because of how your situation is affecting you. I believe

that the Lord is saying grace to you and peace

from God, our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. That's

two Corinthians one, verse two. Grace to you and peace

from God, our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Or, as it.

Says in the Passion translation, may undeserved favor and endless

peace be yours continually from our Father God and from

our Lord Jesus the Anointed One. I believe the Lord

is saying, rest in the knowledge that my grace is

sufficient for you, because my strength is made perfect in weakness.

As it says in two Corinthians twelve, verse nine, Reset

in the knowledge that MY grace is sufficient for you.

When you're weak, you're strong.

You don't have to somehow generate this strength to be perfect,

or do things perfectly, or say everything perfectly. But recognize

that I am with you, and I can bring good

out of anything.

Trust me. Walking alongside.

A couple of years ago, one of my sisters went

to a week long festival abroad, and towards the end,

torrential rains inundated the area, creating thick, ankle deep mud.

No one was allowed to leave apart from on foot.

There was a driving band because vehicles were getting stuck.

There was rationing of food and water, although thankfully they

didn't run out.

However, there was no washing.

You couldn't brush your teeth, and let's just say toilet

arrangements were adjusted. One comment that my sister made struck me.

She spoke positively of the unity with others going through

something together, unity and adversity. There's a strength that comes

from that, isn't there. That's walking alongside people when you're

both going through it. You may not feel like you're

particularly bringing God's light into a situation, but the prayer

of faith does change things, which brings me to my

next point, walking alongside someone in prayer. It might be

appropriate to pray with someone, and it might be appropriate

to pray later. I was talking to someone recently who

told me just a snippet of her story, starting with

the fact that by the time she was sixteen years old,

she was living in a hostel. She said the police

used to drop her off, and there was a lovely

Christian manager who'd then invite her into his office and say,

you know, I'm praying for ye. And she'd tell him, well,

it's not doing any good, and he said to her,

long after you've left here, I'll still be praying for ye.

She was actually later kicked out of that hostel because,

in her own words, she was so wild. A few

years ago, in her late thirties, she surrendered her life

to the Lord. Walking alongside someone in prayer, it doesn't

matter how impossible a situation or person looks. Nothing and

no one is impossible.

With God.

You may see the fruit of your prayers, or like

that hostel manager, you may not.

But one thing's for sure.

You only have to pray in faith to ensure a

hearing with God. Our job is to pray as the

Holy Spirit leads, and do whatever he calls us to

do by faith and trust God with the rest. Nothing

and no one is impossible. Think about Saul. He persecuted

the church, imprisoning and beating those who believed in Jesus,

and standing nearby when Stephen the First Martyr was stoned

to death, guarding the coats of those who were killing him,

as it says in Act Time twenty two twenty, think

about Saul, Think about you, Think about me. We all

have our stories and each one is a miracle, regardless

of our starting point. You can have a nice upbringing,

privileged even, but good manners and a nice disposition aren't

enough to get us born again. To have the Holy

Spirit living inside us like a deposit to guarantee the

fulfillment of his promise of eternal life. As it says

in two Corinthians one twenty two, most of us need

someone to walk alongside us in prayer for salvation. I'm

aware that God deals directly with a few for whatever reason,

but most of us need someone to walk alongside us

in prayer for salvation as well as at different points

afterwards on life's journey. God chooses to work through us

through prayer rather than act as a benevolent dictator, to

help us to fulfill our potential and destiny and become

more and more like him, transformed into his image, from

one degree of glory to another. As it says in

two Corinthians three eighteen, we don't need to have been

through what someone else is experiencing in order to walk

alongside them, if that's what the Lord has put on

our hearts to do. But equally, there's nothing like the

empathy of someone who's been through what you've been through.

Experience fuels empathy like nothing else. I love what it

says in Psalm eighty four, verses five to seven. That's

Psalm eighty four versus five to seven. The Psalmist puts

it this way. Blessed are those whose strength is in

you in whose hearts are set, whose hearts are set

on pilgrimage.

As they pass through.

The valley of Bakka or Weeping, they make it a

place of springs. The autumn rains also cover it with

pools or blessings. They go from strength to strength till

each appears before God in Zion. Notice, those whose strength

is in God don't necessarily circumvent the difficult and painful

roads as we know, but make them a place of

blessing for those who follow on after them. At its simplest,

people can share what's helped them at difficult times, be

that spiritually and or practically. Years ago, I remember someone

telling me how they went on a divorce recovery workshop

that was led by others who'd been through it, and

how beneficial it was, And more recently I heard the

same from someone else. It was a positive healing experience

led by believers who'd been there. Although you don't have

to be Christian to go on the course, it's the

principle of Psalm Eate two four, verse six in practice.

As they pass through the valley of Bakka or Weeping,

they make it a place of springs. The autumn rains

also cover it with pools or blessings, so to close.

Walking alongside someone may involve many things. It may include listening.

It may be going through something together. It may be

praying for someone, whether you've been through a similar situation

to theirs or not. And I'm going to finish how

I started. What's the bravest thing you've ever said? Said

the boy? Help said the horse asking for help. Isn't

giving up, it's refusing to give up. If we remember

that as we walk alongside people, and also as others

walk alongside us, it will help us to have the

right attitude, both towards others and ourselves. Let's pray God,

thank you so much, Lord Jesus, that you always walk

alongside us. You've promised to never leave us or forsake us,

and you love to love others through others, through us,

and you don't expect us to do it in our

own strength. Please give us the wisdom to know what

is ours to do and what is not, And please

give us the grace to walk, to walk alongside others,

to love others as you love, as well as to

receive your love through others, because we ask it in

Jesus' name, and we're so thankful Lord, because we know

that you've heard us.

Amen.

Thanks.

He has been coming along