On Sunday 18th January, Sarah B continued our series of reflections on our values. We read some of Abram’s story (Genesis 12:1-9). Sarah encouraged us to make space to be attentive to God, considered some of the barriers to saying yes to God, and invited us to get ready to respond with our ‘yes’ as we discern God’s call. You can listen here or using the player below.
We’ve had some trouble with our recording equipment recently, we’re working to fix it! This recording was made on an iPad, apologies for the echo and background noises.
We are focussing on our values, who we are and what is important to us as a church. Ben continues our exploration of generosity and how our response to God’s abundant generosity and grace is worked out in worship and mission. The reading is 2 Corinthians 9:6-16. You can listen here or using the player below.
Ben refers to our Create Space project and you can find out more about that here.
As we begin to examine our values in more detail, Chris speaks about the story of creation and how this shows God’s abundant generosity. We are made in the image of God and being generous is part of how we reflect God’s image to the world. You can listen here or using the player below. We missed the introduction of the talk on the recording, including the bible reading which is Genesis 1:1-31.
On Sunday 19th October, we celebrated Kairos’ birthday. Ben reflected on the call to ‘wake up’ in Ephesians 5:14. “The world’s a mess, God is on the move, so wake up and get involved.”
Where is the door shut to Jesus in your life? How might you hear him knocking, open the door and allow him to be with you in this moment of crisis and opportunity?
Where is the open door God is inviting you to walk through?
Oops, we didn’t record the sermon at our Central Gathering last Sunday so Ben recorded a short summary – its not quite as dynamic as the live recording, but its shorter!!! You can watch the video above, download the talk as an MP3 or listen on the player below.
Ben was launching a new series thinking about our core values as a church. The bible reference was Ephesians 3:14-19.
Reflecting on Jesus’ great commission in Matthew 28:16-20, Emma explores how are we to ‘make disciples’. Some of the vital ingredients for this process are nurture, inclusion, and loving others by listening to them. You can listen here or using the player below.
Sadly we weren’t able to record last Sundays Central Gathering sermon. Ben talked about the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7:13-48. Jesus shares a set of picture-parables to prompt his listeners to a choice.
The narrow and wide gates. Jesus says that the way to life is narrow, its hard and involves careful thought and intention. But it leads to life!
Sheep and wolves, fruit trees and thorn bushes. Jesus says that there will be some who look good, but are actually trying to destroy life. Perhaps we all face that temptation. He encourages his listeners to look beyond specatular signs and to seek good fruit fruit. Are our lives become more kind, more holy, more loving? The house on the rock and the house on the sand. Jesus recognises that in times of crisis everyone wants to build shelters. He says that those who listen and obey Him will be like builders who build on rock. When trouble comes they will have a house that stands firm. This links back to one of his earlier picture parable in this part of Matthew – a town on a hill. As we build on the rock together, but listening to and obeying Jesus words, we become a bright city – that offers light and shelter for each other and those around us. So that leaves a choice – who are you following? Will you listen to and obey the way of Jesus.
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Bonus Content – In this series has we’ve mentioned a couple of resources.
The Bible Project. You can watch their final sermon on the mount video below.
We continue our journey through the Sermon on the Mount and Ben reflects on Jesus’ ‘most consistent, useful, and least obeyed teaching’ – do not judge others. We all long for acceptance, welcome and love when we are truly seen and known. How can we extend this welcome to one another and the people we find it difficult to get along with? How can we ask, seek, knock, invite rather than pushing? The reading is Matthew 7:1-12. You can listen here or using the player below.
Sarah B continues our study of the Sermon on the Mount, reflecting on our relationship with money, possessions, and the things that worry or concern us. The reading is Matthew 6:19-34. You can listen here or using the player below.
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