Ben introduces our new series on the joyful letter that Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, which feels particularly relevant to us today. We reflect on the tumultuous times surrounding Christians in the early church, and set the scene for one of Paul’s most encouraging letters, as he promises us that Christ has gifted us with the ability to endure these difficult times.
How to Pray - Yours Is The Glory
The Lord’s prayer - along with this series - ends with a dramatic claim of God’s sovereignty and divinity. After petitioning for all that we need - our sustenance, our forgiveness and our protection - we reorient our eyes and hearts back upon the one who has already fulfilled it in Himself. But there’s more- Jesus is inviting us to relax in the closeness and safety of our Father's loving arms. We do not need to fear or worry because it is His Kingdom, His power and His glory and we can simply enjoy Him!
How to Pray - Deliver Us
Spooky season or not, this is undeniably not the moment that most of us want a discourse on evil and the devil’s role in how we screw up. And yet, there’s to escaping that we’re told to pray: “Lead Us Not into temptation and deliver us from evil.” We look at what is (eh-hem) MIS-leading about the translation, and how, if we understand this properly, we see how vital a nuanced understanding of the forces of good and evil really is. The ultimate test for all of us is whether or not we can prayer “not my will, but yours” and Jesus shows us how this is done. It starts, and ends, with knowing just how good, God really is.
How to Pray - Forgive Us, As We Forgive
Forgiveness. Our culture doesn’t talk much about forgiveness, preferring tolerance, or condemnation (not necessarily bad things) instead. But Jesus asks us to forgive as we have been forgiven. Real forgiveness is deeper and richer and stronger and more lofty than we often understand. And it is the hallmark of Jesus’ kingdom - because it is on the path of forgiveness that we find freedom - not just for ourselves but the whole creation. But forgiveness is rarely easy. So let’s remind ourselves again about the power of God’s forgiveness, and commit to being the people we are - forgiveness people.
How to Pray - Give Us This Day
Jesus is inviting us to pray for our needs with a whole new framework. It's one that recalls God's faithfulness to provide in the past while looking to the future when the kingdom is fully established and there is no lack. So when we make our petitions, we can be confident of God's readiness to provide in the big and small details––knowing that we can be unashamedly bold and broad in our requests because we're His children.
How to Pray - Your Kingdom Come
Carrying on with the Lords Prayer series…Your Kingdom come, Your will be done. Jesus often taught about his Kingdom through parables, using subtle, complex, interesting language that sort to subvert. They reveal that those who knew him face-to-face found it as difficult to grasp the kingdom as we do, because the truth of the kingdom is too complex and other-worldly to be fully revealed. It won’t fit on a billboard. It doesn’t translate into slogans. It isn’t interested in winning. A challenging truth in these days, but one vital to our comprehension of who we’re called to be, and what we’re called to pray.
How To Pray - Our Father in Heaven
Kicking off our new series on the Lord’s Prayer, this week: ‘Our Father in heaven.’ We have a loving father whose ear is attentive to us - he always wants to hear from us. But his fatherliness doesn’t just mean beloved intimacy, it also speaks of deliverance. And as we pray to him we collaborate in the revolution where the first are last, justice reigns and God’s kingdom comes to God’s earth.
Jesus' Supernatural Power - Over Death
Resurrection. It can’t happen without first death, but so often we find engaging with the reality of our loss and grief so difficult. We can be tempted to either avoid it altogether or indulge it. Neither approach enables us to let God’s power in to bring life out of death, joy out of grief and rejoicing out of sorrow. But when we understand and trust in God’s loving resurrection power, it makes it so much easier for us to give our pain over to him, and see him make all things new. So let’s see again the kindness and transformative power of Jesus and trust in the resurrection once more.
Jesus' Supernatural Power - The Fish and the Fisherman
Unlike other categories of Jesus’ miracles, these 2 accounts of miraculous catches (told in Luke 4 and John 21) bookend Peter’s time as a disciple in the gospels, but stand alone as phenomenons (ie - miraculous provision of bounty wasn’t something Jesus did a lot of, and isn’t necessarily the point of these stories at all)… But when we look at them together they speak volumes about what happened to Peter in his time as Jesus’ disciple, and what we can learn from him. Struggling with fear and anxiety? This one is for you.
Jesus’ Supernatural Power - Over the Elements
The withered fig tree isn’t the point of the miracle in Matthew 21. The point is in the reality that Jesus offers to share his power with us. He empowers us to participate in all the good that He wants to unfold in our neighborhoods. This divine power transforms us and brings shalom but where do we begin? We begin with trust in the One who upholds us. Take a listen.
Jesus' Supernatural Power - Healing
The gospel accounts are full to the brim with stories of Jesus healing people; the blind are given sight, the lepers are cleansed, and the paralyzed get up and walk. In each of these accounts we learn something perhaps obvious but very important nonetheless: sickness is anti-Kingdom and it is central to Jesus’ mission to bring healing and restoration. In light of our commission to do as Jesus did, what does praying for healing look like during a worldwide pandemic? Spoiler: in our weakness He is strong and in our openness He authorizes and empowers us to pray for healing by His Spirit- even over Zoom.
Jesus' Supernatural Power: Deliverance
Jesus’ ministry was characterised by how he frequently set people free from demonic oppression. And he commands us, his disciples, to do the same in his name. There are of course theological and pastoral sensitivities about the subject, which need to be addressed. But let’s not let them distract from the main thing: Jesus has all authority and power over the demonic; and he comes to deliver the whole cosmos from evil.
Jesus’ Supernatural Power: 12 Baskets Left Over
The feeding of the multitude is one of Jesus most well-known miracles, and its central message is clear: Jesus provides - physically, as well as spiritually. But it’s the 12 baskets leftover we examine this morning. Each one of the 12 disciples, with a full basket of bread, left to sit and contemplate what they’d just been a part of. Maybe the most significant thing about this miracle is not that God can provide, but what it shows us about what happens when we trust, and follow him.
Jesus’ Supernatural Power: Joy Bringer
Jesus first miracle is about joy! And it encapsulates the whole meaning of his ministry. He comes to earth as the joy-bringer. So let us open ourselves to him the great provider- to provide joy instead of our sadness, our disgrace, our hopelessness, or our pain. Our supernatural faith means his joy comes to us from his spirit directly. We just have to open ourselves to him and ask.
Church: Social + Supernatural
We’ve heard a lot about the mission recently, but not for one moment are we ever supposed to do this in our own strength. The church in Philippi began, and was sustained by, the holy spirits power, and we as a church are to do the same. This is the time to remember the things we have seen and heard - the lives changed, bodies healed, evil delivered - and a time to experience his power. Listen with expectation!
How To Be Good - Part 3
Alice finishes our mini-series on Micah’s call do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with a look at the final part of that. Jesus’ humility is not one of passivity but of radical boldness. He knew that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him, yet He took on the likeness of a Gentile slave to serve others, and challenges His followers do the same. How can we as Christians, embody this radical humility and how does God empower us, in our humility, to build His kingdom on earth?
How To Be Good - Part 2
‘It is not your sacrifice i desire, but your mercy.’ Jesus recites this Hosea prophecy a couple of times to the religious leaders in his day.. And mercy isn’t necessarily quite what we mean (it doesn’t have any implication of deserved punishment in the Hebrew.) It just means love: committed, unrelenting, care. Jesus life and teaching was unrelenting on this message: It’s not sacrifice, nor the temple (statues!), nor righteous behaviour nor any level of being right that he desires. It’s steadfast love. And it’s a flipping challenging message to hear right now.
How To Be Good - Part 1
The theme of justice is on everyone’s lips at the moment. In order to speak about, fight for and do justice meaningfully we need to know what God thinks about justice. The biblical picture is that all lives are of equal value. But it also says something much more: some lives at some times require much more focused concern. Christians are all called not do simply care about justice, but to do and be justice.
What Happens Next Has To Start With Repentance
Given all that is going on in our country right now, we as followers of Jesus, need to allow him now more than ever to search our hearts and direct our actions. The work that must precede all other action is the work of repentance. This is not easy for us to hear. But let us be people of courage and humility. And let us grasp the opportunity to be people of change for the sake of God’s kingdom being seen here on earth.
Genesis: The Rescue Begins - Fighting with God
Jacob is no saint. His name is deceiver and he spends most of his time looking after number 1, fighting with the world, and tricking his way through life. That is until he gets in to a fight he can’t win and he can’t trick his way out of.
It’s ok to be mad at God and to wrestle with him. But ultimately a fight with him is one we’ll never win. But it is the best one we’ll ever lose. Because when we’re weak, he is strong. And when we bow down, he lifts us up.