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 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 2:12-25
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- Written by: Naomi Gebert
Cleansing the Temple audio
Two weeks ago, we looked at John’s account of Jesus at a wedding in Cana. And now this week, he’s travelling on to Jerusalem for the Passover. But before we look any further, please pray with me.
I have a riddle for you. Why is a metcard like an Old Testament temple? What do the two things have in common? They both represent old systems.They were both used for a certain purpose, but now the method has changed and they've been replaced by a new system. So, given that the Old Testament temple, much like a metcard, is no longer in use,
it seems like it wouldn’t matter that much to us what Jesus said in John’s account that Sophia just read. We don’t worship in a temple anymore, we don’t make animal sacrifices to God anymore. But I can tell you, Jesus’ words to these 1st century believers relate directly to our lives as God’s people.
John 2:1-11
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
Water to Wine audio
This week we start a new series: this time on John's gospel. We won't cover all of John's Gospel this year but we'll make a good start. We're starting with ch 2 but we will come back to chapter 1 just before Christmas.
More than any other book in the Bible probably, John's gospel can be studied over and over again with more being discovered each time we read it. The ideas in it are simple at first sight but then as you examine them you realise that there are deeper and deeper meanings to be found in the images and descriptions that John gives us.
1 Tim 6:11-21
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- Written by: George Hemmings
Focus on What Counts. audio (6.4MB)
1 Timothy 6:11-21
I wonder what you think the greatest threat facing the church is? Secularism and the push to privatize religion? The rise of militant atheism that’s always ready to attack Christianity? Perhaps it’s young people with their lack of respect? Or old people stuck in their ways? Globally, we’re regularly reminded of the bombing of churches, such as took place in Pakistan recently. We’re reminded of the threat of persecution from those outside the church.
As we’ve read through 1 Timothy, we’ve seen other threats facing the church. Paul constantly charges Timothy to confront the threat posed by false teaching. Flowing from this is the threat posed by poor leadership. There’s also the threat of disunity, and of the community failing to care for itself. Three times in the letter, Paul refers to the threat posed by the enemy, by Satan, who prowls around looking for an opportunity to destroy the church. Surely this is the greatest threat, the greatest danger facing the church?
But, the truth is, the greatest danger comes from within. The greatest danger is that we allow any of these other things to distract us from the truth. The greatest danger facing the church is that we lose our focus on what counts, that we fail to keep a firm grip on our faith.
1 Tim 6:1-10
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- Written by: Ian Thomason
Putting a public face to a person's faith. audio
1 Timothy 6:1-10
Let's pray.
Father we thank you for sending your Son to save us, and for providing the perfect example of a life lived fully for you. This morning as we reflect on your Holy Word please encourage us, challenge us, shape us, and transform us. May Paul's teaching us today 'sing and sting', 'wound and heal'. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.
Who thinks being a Christian is easy? I'm open to hearing hints because I'll be honest I don't find it comes naturally at all!
The biggest problem I find is that my faith isn't strictly my own personal affair, and it can't be. Because my faith's not just about me and it's not just for me. And this is really crappy because the 'me' bit is dead easy; ask Louise, and I reckon she'll tell you I've had it down pat for years!
1 Tim 5:1-25
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- Written by: Chris Appleby
Shepherding the Flock audio
Over the last couple of weeks we've looked at the criteria for choosing elders and deacons, we've read Paul's instructions to Timothy to guard his inner life, to train himself in holiness, and now we come to more instructions, this time to do with how he's to relate to others in the congregation and how to arrange the ordering of ministries in the congregation.
First we find an instruction about how to deal with older men. The context is one where Timothy might need to rebuke someone, to pull them into line. In such a case he's to be careful not to speak harshly to such a man but rather to exhort him as a father.
Now notice first of all that Timothy, as the elder appointed by Paul to lead the church, has a responsibility to keep order in the church. This has been a constant theme throughout the letter: he's to correct and admonish those who might lead the congregation astray. So despite the difficulty he might feel in rebuking an older man, he has to do it. In fact he's to do it at whatever level the person is in terms of seniority.
