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.
On Sunday 21st September Ben spoke on Micah 6:8 and encouraged us: don’t give up on justice. You can listen here or using the player below.
You can find 3 sets of discussion notes on this topic here.
If you want to take explore Environmental Justice more then a good place to start is the excellent essay from LICC: Jesus Died to Save the Planet.
For a deeper dive into prayer of lament about the environment try this free booklet by Jon Swales, who leads Lighthouse Community in Leeds. Lament & Hope: Prayers for the Climate Crisis and Ecological Emergency.
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.
The Narrow Path by Rich Villodas. You can get the book here, or listen to an interview with him about it here.
We have used these resources to produce a booklet of discussion questions and ideas. You can get that here.
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.
Jesus gives us a model or map for prayer as part of his Sermon on the Mount. Helen A guides us through this prayer which draws us close to God as Father, reorientates us to God in worship and involves us in God’s work of reuniting earth with heaven then invites us to bring our longings and our needs for forgiveness, rescue and courage. The reading is Matthew 6:5-15. You can listen here or using the player below.
Helen refers to resources from the 24-7 prayer movement which you can find here and the Bible Project video and discussion questions which are available here.
This Sunday we did something slightly different. Rather than a talk on this topic I led some discussion around Matthew 6: 1-8, 16-18.
Why not join in with a similar reflection. Read the passage a couple of times and then think about the following questions.
What Got my (Ben) attention was the word ‘when’. Jesus assumes that those who want to grow in their faith, who follow his way will fast, pray and give. You might like to think about some new questions.
You can find further resources for reflection and discussion, a link to the bible project video for this passage, and some further thoughts on practices here (link loads pdf).
As we celebrated Easter Sunday, Ben spoke about Jesus’ transformative meeting with two discouraged disciples as they walked from Jerusalem to Emmaus, talking (or perhaps arguing) together and finally recognising him through the familiar gesture of breaking bread.
‘Resurrection power triumphs, God’s love is victorious.’ How can we live in the light of that reality? Jesus walks with us, he can handle our pain and anything we’re wrestling with; Jesus is present in our ordinary lives; Jesus sends us to day-to-day places to demonstrate his glorious, powerful, resurrecting love as we pray, care, listen, share and welcome others. The reading is Luke 24:13-35. You can listen here or using the player below.
Continuing our series studying the Sermon on the Mount, Helen B reflects on our use of language, creative responses to oppressive behaviour, good disagreement, and how food brings us together. The reading is Matthew 5:33-48. You can listen here or using the player below.
You can find a link to the next Bible Project video in this series, and some discussion questions, here.
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