Bible Study – John 2.1-11
Q1 What is the funniest thing you have ever seen happen at a wedding?
Q2 If you could choose any miracle at the start of your new job or ministry, what would it be?
Q3 Why do you think Jesus went to the wedding?
Q4 What do verses 3-5 reveal about Jesus’s relationship with his mother? In what ways is this a turning point in their relationship?
Q5 Why do you think Jesus went about solving the problem in the way he did? How might you have done it differently, assuming you had Jesus’s powers?
Q6 What part does the size and purpose of the jars play in the story?
Q7 What does the quality and quantity of the wine produced say about Jesus? In what sense is his glory revealed?
Q8 How does this sign relate to the “time” or “hour” that Jesus refers to?
Q9 Why do you think Jesus performed his first sign at a wedding feast? Did this have any special significance?
Q10 How is the quality and quantity of wine in your life, or the life of your church or family? What would you like Jesus to transform or renew?
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Bible Study - John 1.29ff
Bible Study 11th January 2012 – John 1.29 - end
Q1 What do you think is most notable about John the Baptist’s character as he prepares the way for Jesus? How well do you think John the Baptist understood who Jesus was and why he had come (see also Matthew 11.2)?
Q2 What did John the Baptist mean when he referred to Jesus as the Lamb of God? (Hint: Here are some significant OT lamb references:- Exodus 12.3-5, Isaiah 53.7, Jeremiah 11.19, Genesis 22.8).
Q3 Responding to John’s signal the first two disciples (Andrew and probably John the gospel writer) follow Jesus. What do you notice about their opening conversation and actions?
Q4 Why do you think Andrew’s first priority is to find Simon and bring him to Jesus? What would the word “Christ” or “Messiah” have meant to them?
Q5 Why does Jesus rename Simon? What other Bible characters can you think of who were given a new name?
Q6 In what ways do the calling of Philip and Nathanael differ from those of Andrew, John and Peter? How about your own journey to faith; were you called by Jesus directly, brought to Jesus by someone else, or did you find him through your own searching? How does your story compare with others?
Q7 Philip appeals to the Jewish tradition, in explaining who Jesus is (verse 45). How can we explain Jesus to people now, when the Jewish/Christian heritage is either forgotten or rejected by so many people? (Is the approach taken by Paul in Acts 17 or Daniel in Daniel chapters 5 and 6, any help?)
Q8 Verses 47 and 51 allude to the OT story of Jacob (Genesis 32.24-29 and 28.12-13). What is a true Israelite? What kind of attributes did Jesus look for in his first disciples? How about today; who is he calling and what qualities is he looking for?
Q9 What do you think are the biggest barriers preventing people coming to faith in Jesus today? What can we do to overcome these barriers?
Q1 What do you think is most notable about John the Baptist’s character as he prepares the way for Jesus? How well do you think John the Baptist understood who Jesus was and why he had come (see also Matthew 11.2)?
Q2 What did John the Baptist mean when he referred to Jesus as the Lamb of God? (Hint: Here are some significant OT lamb references:- Exodus 12.3-5, Isaiah 53.7, Jeremiah 11.19, Genesis 22.8).
Q3 Responding to John’s signal the first two disciples (Andrew and probably John the gospel writer) follow Jesus. What do you notice about their opening conversation and actions?
Q4 Why do you think Andrew’s first priority is to find Simon and bring him to Jesus? What would the word “Christ” or “Messiah” have meant to them?
Q5 Why does Jesus rename Simon? What other Bible characters can you think of who were given a new name?
Q6 In what ways do the calling of Philip and Nathanael differ from those of Andrew, John and Peter? How about your own journey to faith; were you called by Jesus directly, brought to Jesus by someone else, or did you find him through your own searching? How does your story compare with others?
Q7 Philip appeals to the Jewish tradition, in explaining who Jesus is (verse 45). How can we explain Jesus to people now, when the Jewish/Christian heritage is either forgotten or rejected by so many people? (Is the approach taken by Paul in Acts 17 or Daniel in Daniel chapters 5 and 6, any help?)
Q8 Verses 47 and 51 allude to the OT story of Jacob (Genesis 32.24-29 and 28.12-13). What is a true Israelite? What kind of attributes did Jesus look for in his first disciples? How about today; who is he calling and what qualities is he looking for?
Q9 What do you think are the biggest barriers preventing people coming to faith in Jesus today? What can we do to overcome these barriers?
All Age Sermon - Baptism of Jesus
All Age Service – 8th January 2012
Mark 1.4-11 (and Acts 19.1-7) Baptism.
Intro
Today’s subject is baptism and first of all I’d like you to turn to the person next to you and compare your own baptism stories. When, How and Why were you baptized?
(+ offer my story, Billie’s, Martin and Rachel’s as examples…)
… Lots of variety in those stories! Most Christians are agreed that baptism is very important, perhaps the most important ceremony to go through, so why is there such variety in our answers to When, How and Where it should be done?
Because although Jesus and the apostles commanded their followers to do it, they didn’t leave very clear instructions. So churches have discussed it and fought and fallen out about it ever since – which is a real shame!
Perhaps the story of Jesus’s own baptism can help us out, give us some guidelines we can agree on.
Baptism of Jesus
I’m reminded of the story of a little boy who was overheard complaining ‘my mum makes me have a bath every week, even if I’m not dirty!’
ONE way of understanding baptism is our sins being washed away by God, so we can live a new life as a christian. We ALL need this, even if we think we are not dirty. The Bible also teaches that nobody is too dirty for God to make clean, which has to be Good News!
BUT if baptism is about sins being washed away, why did Jesus insist on being baptized by John? In Matthew’s version, even John himself was shocked when Jesus came to be baptized by him. John knew that his cousin was not like other people, that he had come straight from God in a special way, and that there was no badness or sin in him at all.
You could say Jesus was the only person ever born who did not need a bath! Actually I’m sure he did need an ordinary bath, but not the special bath of baptism. So WHY did he insist on going through with it?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
(elicit reasons for Jesus being baptized and jot them down…)
(say something about each suggestion, then go on to give my suggestions and explain them as below)
SO baptism is not only about sins being washed away, it is also about (your suggestions and…)
Belonging to a family
When Jesus was baptized, God’s voice was heard from heaven saying ‘you are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. A very special moment for Jesus, even though he probably already knew from his mother that he was God’s son. The Bible teaches that our baptism is just as exciting because it is the moment of our adoption as sons or daughters in God’s family.
Looking at it the other way round, Jesus, by insisting on being baptized, showed that he was part of the human family as well as being God’s son. Because J was part of both families, he made it possible for us to be part of God’s family too.
Being equipped to serve God
John the B had predicted that Jesus would be far more powerful than him and the Bible makes it clear that he was given special power by God at his baptism when the Holy Spirit came down to rest on him, looking like a dove. In many churches, including the Anglican church, this part of baptism has been separated into a separate service called confirmation. When we have a confirmation service, the Bishop lays his hands on the heads of the people being confirmed and prays that God will send his Holy Spirit into them, to equip them to do God’s work in new and special ways. Again, Jesus’s baptism sets an example for our baptism and confirmation, so we have faith in God’s power and his desire to equip us for his work.
A Public statement about who we are
The final thing I want to mention about Jesus’s baptism is that it was carried out in a public place, for everyone to see, including the eyewitnesses whose evidence is included in our Bible. God could have baptized J in his own little private ceremony, with nobody watching, but he must have thought it was important to do it in public. We do the same because we think it is important that we make our promises and receive our adoption as God’s children in front of our friends and family and the other members of our church; the people who love us and can help us keep our promises.
Doing this makes a public statement about who we are, who we belong to, and how we intend to live our lives from now on – or how we intend to bring up our children. This might not make things easier for us, but the baptism of J in front of all the crowds at the river Jordan, sets the example for us and he also promises his protection and his blessing to all who stand up in his name.
Conclusions
I don’t know what you think about your own baptism and your confirmation, if you’ve been confirmed. Perhaps these ceremonies were a long time ago, rites of passage which your parents put you through because of their beliefs, or because it was “tradition” or “the right thing to do”. The baptism of Jesus encourages us all to take baptism seriously and suggests it has at least 4 meanings:-
• Washing away of sins
• Belonging to God’s family
• Being equipped by the Holy Spirit to serve God
• Making a public statement about who we are and how we intend to live, with God’s help.
We follow the example of Jesus in all these aspects of baptism and we pray for all people who are baptized or confirmed that what we celebrate in these sacraments will truly take place in their lives. Its all about responding to God’s incredibly wide, deep and generous love for us and agreeing to live God’s way.
If you want to know more about being baptized or confirmed, do see me for a chat.
And for all of us my prayer is that the baptism of Jesus will help us understand our own baptism and confirmation in a deeper way, so we can be faithful and fruitful followers of Jesus and so our Father can be well pleased with us too.
Mark 1.4-11 (and Acts 19.1-7) Baptism.
Intro
Today’s subject is baptism and first of all I’d like you to turn to the person next to you and compare your own baptism stories. When, How and Why were you baptized?
(+ offer my story, Billie’s, Martin and Rachel’s as examples…)
… Lots of variety in those stories! Most Christians are agreed that baptism is very important, perhaps the most important ceremony to go through, so why is there such variety in our answers to When, How and Where it should be done?
Because although Jesus and the apostles commanded their followers to do it, they didn’t leave very clear instructions. So churches have discussed it and fought and fallen out about it ever since – which is a real shame!
Perhaps the story of Jesus’s own baptism can help us out, give us some guidelines we can agree on.
Baptism of Jesus
I’m reminded of the story of a little boy who was overheard complaining ‘my mum makes me have a bath every week, even if I’m not dirty!’
ONE way of understanding baptism is our sins being washed away by God, so we can live a new life as a christian. We ALL need this, even if we think we are not dirty. The Bible also teaches that nobody is too dirty for God to make clean, which has to be Good News!
BUT if baptism is about sins being washed away, why did Jesus insist on being baptized by John? In Matthew’s version, even John himself was shocked when Jesus came to be baptized by him. John knew that his cousin was not like other people, that he had come straight from God in a special way, and that there was no badness or sin in him at all.
You could say Jesus was the only person ever born who did not need a bath! Actually I’m sure he did need an ordinary bath, but not the special bath of baptism. So WHY did he insist on going through with it?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
(elicit reasons for Jesus being baptized and jot them down…)
(say something about each suggestion, then go on to give my suggestions and explain them as below)
SO baptism is not only about sins being washed away, it is also about (your suggestions and…)
Belonging to a family
When Jesus was baptized, God’s voice was heard from heaven saying ‘you are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. A very special moment for Jesus, even though he probably already knew from his mother that he was God’s son. The Bible teaches that our baptism is just as exciting because it is the moment of our adoption as sons or daughters in God’s family.
Looking at it the other way round, Jesus, by insisting on being baptized, showed that he was part of the human family as well as being God’s son. Because J was part of both families, he made it possible for us to be part of God’s family too.
Being equipped to serve God
John the B had predicted that Jesus would be far more powerful than him and the Bible makes it clear that he was given special power by God at his baptism when the Holy Spirit came down to rest on him, looking like a dove. In many churches, including the Anglican church, this part of baptism has been separated into a separate service called confirmation. When we have a confirmation service, the Bishop lays his hands on the heads of the people being confirmed and prays that God will send his Holy Spirit into them, to equip them to do God’s work in new and special ways. Again, Jesus’s baptism sets an example for our baptism and confirmation, so we have faith in God’s power and his desire to equip us for his work.
A Public statement about who we are
The final thing I want to mention about Jesus’s baptism is that it was carried out in a public place, for everyone to see, including the eyewitnesses whose evidence is included in our Bible. God could have baptized J in his own little private ceremony, with nobody watching, but he must have thought it was important to do it in public. We do the same because we think it is important that we make our promises and receive our adoption as God’s children in front of our friends and family and the other members of our church; the people who love us and can help us keep our promises.
Doing this makes a public statement about who we are, who we belong to, and how we intend to live our lives from now on – or how we intend to bring up our children. This might not make things easier for us, but the baptism of J in front of all the crowds at the river Jordan, sets the example for us and he also promises his protection and his blessing to all who stand up in his name.
Conclusions
I don’t know what you think about your own baptism and your confirmation, if you’ve been confirmed. Perhaps these ceremonies were a long time ago, rites of passage which your parents put you through because of their beliefs, or because it was “tradition” or “the right thing to do”. The baptism of Jesus encourages us all to take baptism seriously and suggests it has at least 4 meanings:-
• Washing away of sins
• Belonging to God’s family
• Being equipped by the Holy Spirit to serve God
• Making a public statement about who we are and how we intend to live, with God’s help.
We follow the example of Jesus in all these aspects of baptism and we pray for all people who are baptized or confirmed that what we celebrate in these sacraments will truly take place in their lives. Its all about responding to God’s incredibly wide, deep and generous love for us and agreeing to live God’s way.
If you want to know more about being baptized or confirmed, do see me for a chat.
And for all of us my prayer is that the baptism of Jesus will help us understand our own baptism and confirmation in a deeper way, so we can be faithful and fruitful followers of Jesus and so our Father can be well pleased with us too.
New Year Sermon - Secret Millionnaires?
New Year’s Day 1.1.2012 Sermon Galatians 4.4-7
I don’t know if any of you have seen any of the “Secret Millionaire” TV programmes on the British Channel 4. I saw one of them “by accident” as I usually hate reality television. I actually found it surprisingly moving, and could see connections and contrasts with the Christmas story…
Here’s how “Secret Millionaire” works:-
• Multi-millionaire goes undercover in deprived community
• Lives on breadline for 2 weeks, gets to know locals
• Identifies a few “worthy” groups or individuals whose lives could be transformed by a cash gift
• Reveals true identity & gives gifts £10K, £15K, £25K !!
• Returns to see how it worked out
Comments
• A bit of a gimmick – publicity seeking TV producers & rich folk “playing at” having a social conscience
• Giving cash to a few who have impressed the Secret Millionnaire in 2 weeks, may cause more harm than good
But
• Some of the millionaires have clearly been deeply moved and changed by the experience, like the time a poor man used his last £3 to buy the millionaire a kebab!
• Some found their prejudices exposed and were forced to radically change their views on “spongers” etc.
• Some like Charan Gill, Curry and property tycoon from Glasgow who featured in the programme I saw – have gone back and continued to mentor and support their beneficiaries.
On the whole I think this is a worthwhile series of programmes which has made real improvements to a few lives and informed and pricked the consciences of many more.
In Galatians Ch4 we learn how, at exactly the right moment in human history, God sent his own Son into the world to bring healing, forgiveness and reconciliation. God humbled himself to come and live amongst ordinary people, bringing gifts which could transform lives. There are obvious comparisons between the story of Jesus and that of the secret millionaire, but also contrasts.
1. (a) The secret millionaire is somebody very rich who believes they have a duty to use some of their wealth to help others
(b) Jesus was present with and equal to God from the beginning, infinitely rich and powerful, the Word through whom all things came into being, including life itself.
2. (a) The secret millionaire came down from Glasgow to Thetford, giving up his luxury for 2 weeks to live in temporary poverty.
(b) Jesus came down from Heaven to Earth, leaving his glory and power to live as a human being in a poor and ordinary family. He gave himself completely and eventually gave his life on the cross.
3. (a) The secret millionaire took an interest in the struggles of poor and disadvantaged people, choosing a few who were “worthy” to receive his gifts. He finally revealed himself and gave gifts which gave the recipients a chance of a better life.
(b) Jesus also took a special interest in the poor and disadvantaged, but considers everybody a worthy cause and makes his gifts freely available to all. The way he lived and died revealed him to be the very Son of God and Saviour of humanity. He is the source of life, light and love and he freely gives the gift of ADOPTION into God’s family.
4. (a) The secret millionaire returns to see how his cash gifts have helped and he may offer additional support and advice of his own freewill, but this goes beyond the requirements of the programme.
(b) Jesus will return, but in another sense he never leaves those who have received his gift. He stays with them and lives inside them, by his Spirit, as the guiding light and power of their lives.
5. (a) The secret millionaire could be accused of having mixed motives, of being a lover of publicity, as much as a lover of people.
(b) Jesus consistently showed his love to be pure and true and unconditional, without any false motives. In the end, the “Secret Millionaire” is a piece of entertainment. Entertainment with a conscience, but still entertainment. The coming into the world of Jesus brings REAL hope, REAL life, REAL love and REAL commitment from God to you and to me. At the beginning of a New Year, the world needs more than ever to receive him and listen to him.
I don’t know if any of you have seen any of the “Secret Millionaire” TV programmes on the British Channel 4. I saw one of them “by accident” as I usually hate reality television. I actually found it surprisingly moving, and could see connections and contrasts with the Christmas story…
Here’s how “Secret Millionaire” works:-
• Multi-millionaire goes undercover in deprived community
• Lives on breadline for 2 weeks, gets to know locals
• Identifies a few “worthy” groups or individuals whose lives could be transformed by a cash gift
• Reveals true identity & gives gifts £10K, £15K, £25K !!
• Returns to see how it worked out
Comments
• A bit of a gimmick – publicity seeking TV producers & rich folk “playing at” having a social conscience
• Giving cash to a few who have impressed the Secret Millionnaire in 2 weeks, may cause more harm than good
But
• Some of the millionaires have clearly been deeply moved and changed by the experience, like the time a poor man used his last £3 to buy the millionaire a kebab!
• Some found their prejudices exposed and were forced to radically change their views on “spongers” etc.
• Some like Charan Gill, Curry and property tycoon from Glasgow who featured in the programme I saw – have gone back and continued to mentor and support their beneficiaries.
On the whole I think this is a worthwhile series of programmes which has made real improvements to a few lives and informed and pricked the consciences of many more.
In Galatians Ch4 we learn how, at exactly the right moment in human history, God sent his own Son into the world to bring healing, forgiveness and reconciliation. God humbled himself to come and live amongst ordinary people, bringing gifts which could transform lives. There are obvious comparisons between the story of Jesus and that of the secret millionaire, but also contrasts.
1. (a) The secret millionaire is somebody very rich who believes they have a duty to use some of their wealth to help others
(b) Jesus was present with and equal to God from the beginning, infinitely rich and powerful, the Word through whom all things came into being, including life itself.
2. (a) The secret millionaire came down from Glasgow to Thetford, giving up his luxury for 2 weeks to live in temporary poverty.
(b) Jesus came down from Heaven to Earth, leaving his glory and power to live as a human being in a poor and ordinary family. He gave himself completely and eventually gave his life on the cross.
3. (a) The secret millionaire took an interest in the struggles of poor and disadvantaged people, choosing a few who were “worthy” to receive his gifts. He finally revealed himself and gave gifts which gave the recipients a chance of a better life.
(b) Jesus also took a special interest in the poor and disadvantaged, but considers everybody a worthy cause and makes his gifts freely available to all. The way he lived and died revealed him to be the very Son of God and Saviour of humanity. He is the source of life, light and love and he freely gives the gift of ADOPTION into God’s family.
4. (a) The secret millionaire returns to see how his cash gifts have helped and he may offer additional support and advice of his own freewill, but this goes beyond the requirements of the programme.
(b) Jesus will return, but in another sense he never leaves those who have received his gift. He stays with them and lives inside them, by his Spirit, as the guiding light and power of their lives.
5. (a) The secret millionaire could be accused of having mixed motives, of being a lover of publicity, as much as a lover of people.
(b) Jesus consistently showed his love to be pure and true and unconditional, without any false motives. In the end, the “Secret Millionaire” is a piece of entertainment. Entertainment with a conscience, but still entertainment. The coming into the world of Jesus brings REAL hope, REAL life, REAL love and REAL commitment from God to you and to me. At the beginning of a New Year, the world needs more than ever to receive him and listen to him.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Friday, December 23, 2011
At Bethlehem
Our Christmas Holy Communion liturgy begins with the final verse of a beautiful poem by Richard Crashaw (1613-49). Here is the poem in full:
Come, we shepherds, whose blest sight
Hath met Love's noon in nature's night;
Come, lift we up our loftier song,
And wake the sun that lies too long.
Gloomy night embraced the place
Where the noble infant lay:
The Babe looked up and showed his face;
In spite of darkness, it was day:-
It was the Day, Sweet! and did rise
Not from the east but from thine eyes.
We saw thee in thy balmy nest,
Young dawn of our eternal day;
We saw thine eyes break from their east,
And chase the trembling shades away;
We saw thee, (and we bless the sight),
We saw thee by thine own sweet light.
Welcome, all wonders in one sight!
Eternity shut in a span!
Summer in winter! Day in night!
Heaven in earth! and God in man!
Great Little One, whose all-embracing birth,
Lifts earth to heaven, stoops heaven to earth.
Come, we shepherds, whose blest sight
Hath met Love's noon in nature's night;
Come, lift we up our loftier song,
And wake the sun that lies too long.
Gloomy night embraced the place
Where the noble infant lay:
The Babe looked up and showed his face;
In spite of darkness, it was day:-
It was the Day, Sweet! and did rise
Not from the east but from thine eyes.
We saw thee in thy balmy nest,
Young dawn of our eternal day;
We saw thine eyes break from their east,
And chase the trembling shades away;
We saw thee, (and we bless the sight),
We saw thee by thine own sweet light.
Welcome, all wonders in one sight!
Eternity shut in a span!
Summer in winter! Day in night!
Heaven in earth! and God in man!
Great Little One, whose all-embracing birth,
Lifts earth to heaven, stoops heaven to earth.
Christmas Sermon Isaiah 9.2-7
CHRISTMAS 2011 – Isaiah 9.2-7, Luke 2.1-14
Who knows what plant this is and why we have one in Church today?
= A ponsettia. But in its native country, Mexico, it is called the flor
de Noche Buena (Christmas Eve). Anybody know why?
It goes back over 400 years, to a Mexican legend about a little girl called
Maria who was sad because she was too poor to provide a gift for the
celebration of the birth of Jesus. The story tells how an angel inspired the
girl to gather some weeds from the roadside and put them in front of the church
altar. Her brother Pablo supported her, saying “it doesn’t matter what you
give, as long as it is given in love”. The other children teased her, until
they saw the plants turn from green to red on top, right before their eyes as
the Maria knelt before the altar.
Everybody in the village then realized that a miracle had taken place
and from that day on the plant was known as the flor de Noche Buena – a reminder
of that wonderful night when Jesus the Son of God was born to save the world.
Which leads us to that reading from Isaiah.
Isaiah’s extraordinary vision
A vision of the transformation of the world from what human beings have
made it into what God intended it to be
At the centre of the vision is the birth of a new king, a new son of
David who would bring to the world
·
LIGHT (v2) instead of darkness and ignorance and fear
·
JOYFUL UNITY (v3) instead of boundaries, suspicion and
hatred
·
PEACE (v5) instead of war and plotting
·
FREEDOM (v4) instead of oppression and exploitation
·
JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUSNESS (v7) because these qualities
truly reflects the character of God.
This is the kind of world human beings long for.
Let this Noche Buena plant represent this ideal world.
This is perfection, this is the way we’re wired to live, although
looking around us we don’t seem to be very good at it.
NOW for most of us the biggest question is
How ON EARTH (not just in heaven) do we get from this (crib figure of
Jesus) to this (poinsettia)?
How can the transformation of the world into a just, healthy, free,
safe, flourishing and caring society become a reality instead of just a dream?
PART of the answer is on the wall behind me (‘†’)
The rest of the answer is sitting around you in the pews of this church
Not just today but Sunday by Sunday
Not just here but in thousands of churches around the world who are
taking seriously God’s mission to save his creation.
As you look at your co-conspiritors in this great revolution you may start
to doubt that it will happen - these are ordinary people, not miracle workers!
But listen again to the final verse of our reading:
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this (Is 9.7)
God is going to fill everyone who answers his call with his ZEAL, with
his LIFE, with his SPIRIT. God is going to train our hearts and minds and show
us how to make his dream, his vision happen.
If you think this world is just fine the way it is, then this will be an
uncomfortable church to be part of.
But for some of you, I know you can feel God stirring your hearts to
come and join us in this amazing mission. Or if you don’t live here, find a
church near your home which is serious about God’s mission.
Come and join us and see how this (baby Jesus figure) becomes this
(poinsettia), to the glory of God!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
