Gospels-Acts
John 3:1-21 A Visitor in the Night
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- Written by: George Hemmings
A Visitor in the Night audio (6.5MB)
John 3:1-21
Darkness had fallen on the city. The store holders and vendors who were vocal during the day had long since packed up their wares. The crowds that had filled the streets had all filtered back to their homes. People were enjoying the cool of the night, sharing time with family and friends. There was hardly a soul out. But there’s one figure, making his way through the city. He’s finely dressed, so he must be someone important. But it’s unusual to find someone like him hurrying about town so late at night. He’s not skulking in the shadows, but he’s not going out of his way to be seen either. As he stops at a doorway he looks around, to make sure no one can see just which house he’s about to enter, and then he knocks and waits anxiously to be let in.
John 3:16-21 - Light on Darkness
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
At our Christmas carol service Steve was telling us about how much his son is enjoying the bright lights of London in the midst of the dark winter season. And it’s not surprising. We often associate light with feelings of enjoyment or safety don’t we? There’s something very peaceful about sitting in a room lit be candles or in front of an open fire staring at the flames. When we walk into a dark house the first thing we do is to turn on the lights because they give us a sense of safety.
Light for Judgement
But in fact light isn’t always about giving us a sense of peace and security.
When Di and I bought our last house we decided we’d put in an ensuite to the bedroom. So we had an architect draw up the plans, and then we went to a bathroom shop to see what fittings we should include. One of the must haves was a set of lights above the bathroom mirror. You may have something like that in your bathroom. Now you don’t put lights above your mirror for the sake of safety or peace. Nor do you put them there so you feel like a Hollywood star when you’re standing in front of it, like you’re standing in the spotlight for everyone to see? You don’t put them there so you can admire yourself in the mirror. In fact the opposite: those lights are actually there to show you all your faults; to show you the wrinkles in your forehead or around your eyes or lips, the spots that would be much better covered up, the hairs that need to be removed, or the moles that might need to be looked at by your doctor. A good light will do that for you, much as you mightn’t actually want to know what it’s telling you.
John 3:22-36
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- Written by: Michael Prabaharabn
A reflection on John 3:22-36. audio
John 3:22-36
John and Jack started a painting business in the mid eighties. While initially things went well, they hit a difficult patch in business and decided to comprise on quality to keep profits up. They did this by thinning down the paint. Jack had no idea that John was being troubled by this until one day he turned up to work and said I can’t do this anymore. Why asked Jack. John replied last night an angel appeared in my dream and said “Repaint you thinner... and thin no more!”
Repentance as you know is a change of heart, mind and behaviour. A realisation that things need to change and the steps you take to make those changes. In the last month or so people have been sharing some interesting changes in their lives.
A work colleague has been on the email warning us of the dangers he’s discovered about modern supermarket food and promoting the many reasons why we really do need to go back to organic food and why the extra expense is really worth it in the long run.
Another colleague was espousing to me the benefits of a carbohydrate free diet and how it made him feel and look years younger than his age. And I must say he did look far younger than his age.
John 4:1-42
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
The Woman at the Well audio (7MB)
John 4:1-42
If you were here last week you may remember how John saw his main role as telling people about Jesus. You may also remember that that task of proclaiming Jesus is also our task. Well today we move on to the next episode in John’s account of Jesus’ ministry. Here we find Jesus’ providing a great model for sharing the gospel. We find Jesus taking every opportunity to bring people to a knowledge of the truth which is found in him, and then we see the woman herself becoming a witness to Christ. And we finish with a reminder that the task of evangelism is ongoing.
Jesus has decided to return to Galilee. The most direct route to Galilee passed through the region of Samaria, so that’s the way they went. We’re told they came to the town of Sychar where Jacob’s well was, and still is. It was the sixth hour, that is midday, and being tired from the journey, Jesus sat down to rest while his disciples went into the town to buy some lunch.
Just then a Samaritan woman comes to the well to draw water. Now this is strange. No-one goes out in the heat of the day to draw water. That’s a job for the morning or evening when it’s cool. So why would this woman come now? Maybe, as we’ll see later, because she’s a social outcast. She comes now so she won’t have to bear the looks and comments of the other women from the town.
John 6:1-21
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- Written by: George Hemmings
Bread for Life audio (7MB)
John 6:1-21
I want to start this morning with a quick quiz. What do these signs mean? The first is easy. What about this one? Easy again. The great thing about signs is that they’re universal. No matter where you are you know what this sign is telling you. Signs are all around us. They help direct us, they tell us where to go, or what to do. They communicate important things quickly, like be careful, this is hot and if you touch it you’ll get burnt. Or this floor is very wet and you might slip over! It’s important that we pay attention to signs because they often tell us what we need to know.
John’s gospel is full of signs. Not signs on posts, but rather in the form of Jesus’ actions, and words. John doesn’t use the language of miracles, or wonders, because he wants us to understand that these things point beyond themselves. They’re signs of God’s kingdom. It’s just as important that we pay attention to them, and that we understand them properly.