We are a culture marked by suppressed fear. A reservoir under surface makes us very Fragile.
This is what makes this encounter in Luke chapter 8 so essential. Because here we do not find platitudes for feeling better; relaxation techniques - the Bible is not a a little book of calm. On the contrary this passage of Scripture is an encounter with God who drives out fear. If you come to know - better and better - the God of Luke 8. Then you will be able to say with the Psalmist even when your whole world falls apart - we will not fear.
Read moreThe solitude of crying in our rooms at night on our own seems desperately lonely and tragic. Sometimes this is needed, but it feels healthier to cry with someone close to us, someone who understands us and what we feel. The word, ‘cry’ has the sense of crying out, of expressing outwardly what is happening inside us. Tears are physical expressions of internal sorrow andthey literally flow out from within us. If we are fortunate we may have people close to us to share our pains and sorrows with. However, as a GP I know that many people can't or don’t do this...
Read more3rd Seminar from our weekend away 2016. Giles Fouhy, vicar of Saint Barnabas Dalston
Read more2nd Seminar from our weekend away 2016. Jon Kuhrt, Director of The West London Mission
Read more1st Seminar from our weekend away 2016. Alexandra Lilley, Curate at St Paul's, Shadwell
Read moreSometimes we are tempted to question whether the coming of Jesus has really made a huge difference. The world goes on just as it always has.. perhaps some things are better, perhaps some things are worse.
For many people this is reason enough to keep God at arms length, to reject him. If really came at all he certainly hasn’t done anything. He hasn’t solved our problems. He hasn’t done the thing we most need. The things we’d want him to do.
For others of us. We don’t reject God perhaps but the lack of seeming change in the world and in our own lives creates doubts. Has anything really changed? It’s not what we expected. Is Jesus really who he said he was. The long awaited Messiah. God’s King. God’s Son in human flesh, The Son of Man come to save??
These were the exact kinds of questions that John the Baptist had and that we’ve read about in our reading today.
Read moreWe in our culture are increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of authority aren’t we?
We don’t trust those in authority over us. Politicians, the police, church leaders. In too many places they have been shown up to be flawed or corrupt. Using power not for public service but for personal gain And so we have lost trust. So perhaps we are uncomfortable with the authority of Jesus..
And yet…
Recognise the way that Jesus exercises his authority. It is always actually as a servant. It is always to set the captive free. To heal the suffering.
Read moreAt the heart of what it means to be a Christian is active obedience to Jesus Christ. Willing submission to his rule. Jesus is not just Saviour, He is Lord.
I wonder how we instinctively feel about that? because obedience and submission, even authority are dirty words in our culture.
[David Cameron’s dressing down this week by astudent. “I’m an English literature student. I know waffling when i see it’’ she said.]
The supreme values of our culture now are self-determination and personal freedom. Why would you ever do what somebody else says? No-one else has the right to tell you how to live your life. Why would you obey or willingly be mastered by someone else? You’re not a dog! At best it’s demeaning at worst it’s sinister!
Read moreWe love to judge.
The comedian George Carlin observes a universal rule of the road: Everyone who drives slower than you is an idiot. And everyone who drives faster than you is a maniac.
To the speeding driver, everyone’s an idiot. To the slow driver, everyone’s a maniac. But one rule applies to all: My speed is always just right.
We love to judge.
Read moreOur culture is Big on love. Romantic love, sexual love; Family love - everyone likes the guy who loves his mum; Friendship love; Calvin Harris: Tell me how deep is your love? is it like the ocean?
christian love - is to be extraordinary in comparison to the way people usually love
- love those who hate you
- love those who can’t pay you back
- love as God has loved you
Read moreJesus’ kingdom is entered by grace alone. Crying out to Jesus. But it is also - Luke wants to tell us - a physical kingdom overturning this present reality. A kingdom of justice and peace where the first now will be last and the last now will be first. It’s a revolution. A great reversal.
Read morePerhaps you’re like many in our city and you’re in desperate need of a rest - a holiday, a decent day off, a good night’s sleep!
But of course to Rest, to really Rest is not as simple as that because there is within us a Restlessness that often means that we cannot rest. The holiday becomes an added stress, we get to bed early but lie awake… A hunger for rest that causes us to work more not less. Because we’re trying to get something, prove something, achieve something.. Something that will give rest to our souls..
Jesus Christ is the Lord of Rest but we cannot rest because we’re so busy looking for rest for ourselves..
Read moreThe disciples had believed in Jesus, they had followed him, they had listened to him. But the words about his resurrection had not really …enteredthem; had not captured them, had not affected their hearts and their hopes. The words.. they had heard them but they hadn’t actually heard them. The words didn’t change their lives.
And It’s only when the shining angels graciously visit the perplexed women and say, “What are you doing here looking for Jesus? He told you he’s not gonna be here.” It’s only then that they begin to re-member - put together - his words.
I wonder if it’s the same for us when it comes to Easter?
[Some of us struggle to believe this stuff at all and i’ll come to that in a moment]
Many of us believe in Jesus, we have followed him, we have listened to him. And we’re told by God in his word again and again that Jesus suffered and died and then after 3 days he was raised from death to life. Christ has died, CHRIST is RISEN, Christ will come again. We remind ourselves sunday after sunday. BUT these words about his resurrection .. they haven’t really enteredus; haven’t captured us, haven’t affected our hearts and our hopes. We’ve heard the words but we haven’t actually heard them. The words haven’t changed our lives. And we end up looking for the living among the dead and he is not there. HE IS RISEN
we need a shining angel, the Holy Spirit of God - to redirect us and open our eyes to the significance of what we are being told!
Read more"Follow me."
Nothing else had made Levi give up the tax collecting game. (nothing else will make us give up anything) Not his parents’ pleas, not his friends’ urgings, not the public taunts. But two words from Jesus change the man. Levi gives up everything. Why? To be with Jesus. That’s enough to change a life.
Read moreIf the opportunity arose to solve your deepest need right now, this afternoon. You would take it wouldn’t you. You’d excuse yourself from this meeting and you’d embrace it - It’s the thing that matters most to you…
Well listen, this afternoon, and I am being absolutely serious here, this afternoon right here - I am going to give you the solution to your deepest problem and your friend’s deepest problem; your deepest needs.
The thing that matters most in the world for you - we can deal with it this afternoon.
That is, if you want to deal with it. And surely you will. Surely when an opportunity like that arises you have to take it..
Read moreThe leper is all of us. For we are all unclean and we need Jesus Christ. And he can make us clean..
Read more...what about you? has Jesus come for you? Are you there yet? Are you ready to leave everything behind for him. A real disciple..
Read moreHow do we change? How do we prepare for Good Friday and Easter? How do we turn away from sin to be faithful to Christ?
Read moreIt is our native disposition. To care about the physical before the spiritual. To care about what we can see and touch and feel. To care about the present rather than an eternal future. We want it here and now. To care about that which is temporary instead of that which is eternal.
So we don’t rejoice in forgiveness and the hope of eternal security which we have in Christ instead we’re depressed and angry because we don’t have what we want now.
The only salvation that we want is a salvation that will die when we die!
But Jesus is not that kind of saviour. Primarliy he cares about our souls and our holiness. Secondarily he cares about our financial position or career happiness....
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